SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
President Donald Trump arrives to speak at a rally at Central Wisconsin Airport in Mosinee, Wis., Wednesday, Oct 24. 2018 (Photo: Susan Walsh/AP)
As Trump Gaslights Entire Nation About Package Bombs, This 'Will Go Down in History' as Clear Moment 'American Democracy Truly at Risk'
"Trump's message to the media (and I guess Democrats): If you criticize me, you'll get more bombs."
Oct 25, 2018
Less than 12 hours after praising himself for being on his best behavior as bombs were found in the mail of several targets of his incendiary and conspiratorial ravings--including Congresswomen Maxine Waters, CNN, former President Barack Obama, and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton--President Donald Trump cast aside his temporarily subdued facade Thursday morning and fired off a tweet blaming the media for the explosives sent to at least nine separate locations and warning that the press must "clean up its act, fast."
\u201cA very big part of the Anger we see today in our society is caused by the purposely false and inaccurate reporting of the Mainstream Media that I refer to as Fake News. It has gotten so bad and hateful that it is beyond description. Mainstream Media must clean up its act, FAST!\u201d— Donald J. Trump (@Donald J. Trump) 1540466298
"This tweet will go down in history as one of the moments in which everyone should have understood that the American democracy truly is at risk," Trita Parsi, president of the National Iranian American Council, wrote in response to Trump's latest attack on the press.
\u201cThis tweet will go down in history as one of the moments in which everyone should have understood that the American democracy truly is at risk.\u201d— Trita Parsi (@Trita Parsi) 1540466435
Political commentators and members of the American press immediately recognized that--far from mitigating the "anger" that has "gotten so bad and hateful"--Trump's attempt to blame the media for pipe bombs being sent to the targets of his rhetoric could stoke further resentment and encourage even more violence against journalists.
"Trump is arguing that the media itself is responsible for the bombs that were sent to it because it dared to criticize Trump. In other words: if you continue to criticize Trump your life will be in danger," noted Igor Volsky, director of the gun control advocacy group Guns Down America. "How is this not inviting further violence?"
\u201cTrump's message to the media (and I guess Democrats): \n\nIf you criticize me, you'll get more bombs.\u201d— igorvolsky (@igorvolsky) 1540468502
Trump's tweet and the swift backlash came just hours after over 200 retired journalists signed an open letter (pdf) condemning the president's continued attacks on the free press, highlighting as just one example his remarks last week praising Rep. Greg Gianforte (R-Mont.) for body-slamming Guardian reporter Ben Jacobs.
"Trump's condoning of political violence is part of a sustained pattern of attack on a free press--which includes labeling any reportage he doesn't like as 'fake news' and barring reporters and news organizations whom he wishes to punish from press briefings and events," the former journalists wrote. "The president... is actively working not simply to undermine the press, but to incite violence against it as well."
On January 20th, it begins...
Political revenge. Mass deportations. Project 2025. Unfathomable corruption. Attacks on Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. Pardons for insurrectionists. An all-out assault on democracy. Republicans in Congress are scrambling to give Trump broad new powers to strip the tax-exempt status of any nonprofit he doesn’t like by declaring it a “terrorist-supporting organization.” Trump has already begun filing lawsuits against news outlets that criticize him. At Common Dreams, we won’t back down, but we must get ready for whatever Trump and his thugs throw at us. Our Year-End campaign is our most important fundraiser of the year. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover issues the corporate media never will, but we can only continue with our readers’ support. By donating today, please help us fight the dangers of a second Trump presidency. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Less than 12 hours after praising himself for being on his best behavior as bombs were found in the mail of several targets of his incendiary and conspiratorial ravings--including Congresswomen Maxine Waters, CNN, former President Barack Obama, and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton--President Donald Trump cast aside his temporarily subdued facade Thursday morning and fired off a tweet blaming the media for the explosives sent to at least nine separate locations and warning that the press must "clean up its act, fast."
\u201cA very big part of the Anger we see today in our society is caused by the purposely false and inaccurate reporting of the Mainstream Media that I refer to as Fake News. It has gotten so bad and hateful that it is beyond description. Mainstream Media must clean up its act, FAST!\u201d— Donald J. Trump (@Donald J. Trump) 1540466298
"This tweet will go down in history as one of the moments in which everyone should have understood that the American democracy truly is at risk," Trita Parsi, president of the National Iranian American Council, wrote in response to Trump's latest attack on the press.
\u201cThis tweet will go down in history as one of the moments in which everyone should have understood that the American democracy truly is at risk.\u201d— Trita Parsi (@Trita Parsi) 1540466435
Political commentators and members of the American press immediately recognized that--far from mitigating the "anger" that has "gotten so bad and hateful"--Trump's attempt to blame the media for pipe bombs being sent to the targets of his rhetoric could stoke further resentment and encourage even more violence against journalists.
"Trump is arguing that the media itself is responsible for the bombs that were sent to it because it dared to criticize Trump. In other words: if you continue to criticize Trump your life will be in danger," noted Igor Volsky, director of the gun control advocacy group Guns Down America. "How is this not inviting further violence?"
\u201cTrump's message to the media (and I guess Democrats): \n\nIf you criticize me, you'll get more bombs.\u201d— igorvolsky (@igorvolsky) 1540468502
Trump's tweet and the swift backlash came just hours after over 200 retired journalists signed an open letter (pdf) condemning the president's continued attacks on the free press, highlighting as just one example his remarks last week praising Rep. Greg Gianforte (R-Mont.) for body-slamming Guardian reporter Ben Jacobs.
"Trump's condoning of political violence is part of a sustained pattern of attack on a free press--which includes labeling any reportage he doesn't like as 'fake news' and barring reporters and news organizations whom he wishes to punish from press briefings and events," the former journalists wrote. "The president... is actively working not simply to undermine the press, but to incite violence against it as well."
Less than 12 hours after praising himself for being on his best behavior as bombs were found in the mail of several targets of his incendiary and conspiratorial ravings--including Congresswomen Maxine Waters, CNN, former President Barack Obama, and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton--President Donald Trump cast aside his temporarily subdued facade Thursday morning and fired off a tweet blaming the media for the explosives sent to at least nine separate locations and warning that the press must "clean up its act, fast."
\u201cA very big part of the Anger we see today in our society is caused by the purposely false and inaccurate reporting of the Mainstream Media that I refer to as Fake News. It has gotten so bad and hateful that it is beyond description. Mainstream Media must clean up its act, FAST!\u201d— Donald J. Trump (@Donald J. Trump) 1540466298
"This tweet will go down in history as one of the moments in which everyone should have understood that the American democracy truly is at risk," Trita Parsi, president of the National Iranian American Council, wrote in response to Trump's latest attack on the press.
\u201cThis tweet will go down in history as one of the moments in which everyone should have understood that the American democracy truly is at risk.\u201d— Trita Parsi (@Trita Parsi) 1540466435
Political commentators and members of the American press immediately recognized that--far from mitigating the "anger" that has "gotten so bad and hateful"--Trump's attempt to blame the media for pipe bombs being sent to the targets of his rhetoric could stoke further resentment and encourage even more violence against journalists.
"Trump is arguing that the media itself is responsible for the bombs that were sent to it because it dared to criticize Trump. In other words: if you continue to criticize Trump your life will be in danger," noted Igor Volsky, director of the gun control advocacy group Guns Down America. "How is this not inviting further violence?"
\u201cTrump's message to the media (and I guess Democrats): \n\nIf you criticize me, you'll get more bombs.\u201d— igorvolsky (@igorvolsky) 1540468502
Trump's tweet and the swift backlash came just hours after over 200 retired journalists signed an open letter (pdf) condemning the president's continued attacks on the free press, highlighting as just one example his remarks last week praising Rep. Greg Gianforte (R-Mont.) for body-slamming Guardian reporter Ben Jacobs.
"Trump's condoning of political violence is part of a sustained pattern of attack on a free press--which includes labeling any reportage he doesn't like as 'fake news' and barring reporters and news organizations whom he wishes to punish from press briefings and events," the former journalists wrote. "The president... is actively working not simply to undermine the press, but to incite violence against it as well."
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.