Trump At CPAC Calls Media Outlets “Enemy Of The People,” Demands They Stop Using Unnamed Sources

Donald Trump: “They Say That We Can't Criticize Their Dishonest Coverage Because Of The First Amendment. They Always Bring Up The First Amendment.”

From the Donald Trump's February 24 speech at CPAC:

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DONALD TRUMP: And I want you all to know that we are fighting the fake news. It's fake, phony, fake. A few days ago, I called the fake news the enemy of the people, and they are. They are the enemy of the people. Because they have no sources. They just make them up when there are none. I saw one story recently where they said “nine people have confirmed.” There are no nine people. I don't believe there was one or two people. Nine people. And I said, give me a break. Because I know the people. I know who they talk to. There were no nine people. But they say nine people. And somebody reads it and they think, “Oh, nine people, they have nine sources.” They make up sources. They're very dishonest people. In fact, in covering my comments, the dishonest media did not explain that I called the fake news the enemy of the people, the fake news. 

They dropped off the word “fake.” And all of a sudden, the story became “the media is the enemy.” They take the word “fake” out. And now I'm saying, “Oh, no. This is no good.” But that's the way they are. So I'm not against the media. I'm not against the press. I don't mind bad stories if I deserve them. And I love good stories, but we won't talk. I don't get too many of them. But I am only against the fake news media or press.

Fake. Fake. They have to leave that word. I'm against the people that make up stories and make up sources. 

They shouldn't be allowed to use sources unless they use somebody's name. Let their name be put out there. Let their name be put out. A source says that Donald Trump is a horrible, horrible human being. Let them say it to my face. Let there be no more sources. And remember this -- and not in all cases. I mean, I had a story written yesterday about me in Reuters by a very honorable man. It was a very fair story. There are some great reporters around. They are talented, they're honest as the day is long. They're great. But there are some terrible, dishonest people. And they do a tremendous disservice to our country and to our people, a tremendous disservice. They are very dishonest people. And they shouldn't use sources. They should put the name of the person. You will see stories dry up like you've never seen before. So you have no idea how bad it is, because if you are not part of the story, and I put myself in your position sometimes, because many of you, you're not part of the story, and if you're not part of the story, then you sort of know, if you are part of the story, you know what they're saying is true or not. So when they make it up, and they make up something else, and you saw that before the election. Polls, polls. The polls. They come out with these polls. And everybody was so surprised. Actually, a couple of polls got it right. I must say, Los Angeles Times did a great job. Shocking, because, you know -- they did a great job. And we had a couple of others that were right. 

But generally speaking, I mean, I can tell you the network, somebody said, “A poll came out.” And I say, “What network is it?” And they'll say a certain -- let's not even mention names, right? Should we? Well, you have a lot of them. 

Look, the Clinton News Network [CNN] is one. Totally. Take a look. Honestly. Take a look at their polls over the last two years. Now, you'd think they'd fire the pollster, right? After years and years of getting battered. But I mean, who knows, maybe they're just bad at polling. Or maybe they're not legit. But it's one or the other. Look at how inaccurate. Look at CBS, look at ABC also. Look at NBC. Take a look at some of these polls. They're so bad, so inaccurate.

And what that does is it creates a false narrative, it creates like this narrative that's just like, we're not going to win. People say, “Oh, I love Trump, but I'm not feeling great today, he can't win, so I won't go and vote, I won't go and vote.” It creates a whole false deal. And we have to fight it, folks. We have to fight it. They're very smart, they're very cunning, and they're very dishonest. So just to conclude, it's a very sensitive topic, and they get upset when we expose their false stories. They say that we can't criticize their dishonest coverage because of the First Amendment. They always bring up the First Amendment. And I love the First Amendment. Nobody loves it better than me. Nobody. Who uses it more than I do?

But the First Amendment gives all of us -- it gives it to me, it gives it you, it gives it to all Americans -- the right to speak our minds freely. It gives you the right and me the right to criticize fake news and criticize it strongly. 

Previously:

The Trump Administration's War On The Press

Trump Has Called Dozens Of Things Fake News. None Of Them Are.

30 Of Trump’s Attacks On The Media From His Unhinged Press Conference

Donald Trump's Rejection Of Critical Coverage Is Literally The Same As A Murderous Dictator's

CBS' John Dickerson: Trump Is “Trying To Define All News As Fake News”