Media Reacts With Disgust to Trump Smearing American Press as ‘Fake News’ Before Baltic Leaders
As President Donald Trump told Baltic leaders not to take questions from U.S. reporters at a White House press conference Tuesday, the media reacted in disgust, again frustrated by his attempts to undermine their position as members of the press.
In a painfully awkward moment during the joint presser, Trump commanded Latvian President Raimonds Vejonis choose the next reporter to speak.
“A Baltic reporter ideally,” Trump said. “Real news, not fake news.”
While some in the room laughed, members of the American media were less amused, and took to Twitter to express their outrage at the comments:
US President Donald Trump tells the Latvian president to pick “a Baltic reporter. Real news, not fake news.” At a joint news conference with American and foreign reporters. At the White House.
— Chris Geidner (@chrisgeidner) April 3, 2018
Trump insults the American media in advising one of the Baltic presidents to select the next reporter: “You can pick a reporter. A Baltic reporter, ideally. Real news, not fake news.”
— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) April 3, 2018
“You can pick a reporter,” Trump says to Latvian president. “A Baltic reporter ideally. Real news, not fake news.” As if he knows the state of journalism in Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia?
— Paul Farhi (@farhip) April 3, 2018
“A Baltic reporter, ideally. Real news. Not fake news.” President Trump, using a session with Baltic leaders to mock the American press.
— Phil Elliott (@Philip_Elliott) April 3, 2018
And laughter in the room. Awful. https://t.co/m3yUqucxuR
— Chris Cillizza (@CillizzaCNN) April 3, 2018
Don’t laugh when Trump says “fake news.”
It’s absolutely a direct threat to our democracy.
— Chris Cillizza (@CillizzaCNN) April 3, 2018
Baltic leaders, as neighbors to Russia, know what actual fake news is being the frequent target of Russian cyber attacks and propaganda, not to mention former members of the USSR. https://t.co/E0C7Abqj07
— Jim Sciutto (@jimsciutto) April 3, 2018
Trump to the President of Latvia: “You can pick a reporter, a Baltic reporter ideally. Real news, not fake news.” Plenty of laughter in the White House East Room, but not from us reporters.
— Philip Crowther (@PhilipinDC) April 3, 2018
NBC’s Peter Alexander counted more than a dozen U.S. reporters in the room waiting with questions only to be brushed off by Trump as he encouraged the other leaders in the room to do the same.
Within 15 US journalist hands raised, Trump directs one of Baltic presidents to select the next question: “You can pick a reporter. A Baltic reporter, ideally. Real news, not fake news.”
— Peter Alexander (@PeterAlexander) April 3, 2018
CNN’s Steve Brusk noted that the president hasn’t conducted a complete news conference on his own in more than a year.
A reminder the last time President Trump held a full news conference, not a limited number of questions joint news conference with foreign leaders, was February 16, 2017.
— Steve Brusk (@stevebruskCNN) April 3, 2018
[Image via screengrab]
Follow Amy Russo on Twitter: @amymrusso
Have a tip we should know? tips@mediaite.com
