The Trump Administration's War On The Press

Jan. 20 - 28; Jan. 29 - Feb. 4; Feb. 5 - 11; Feb. 12 - 18;

Feb. 19 - 25; Feb. 26 - Mar. 4; Mar. 5 - 11; Mar. 12 - 18;

Mar. 19-25; Mar. 26 - Apr. 1; Apr. 2 - 8; Apr. 9 - 15

Apr. 16 - 22; Apr. 23 - 29; Apr. 30 - May 6; May 7 - 13

May 14 - 20; May 21 - 27; May 28 - Jun. 3; Jun. 4 - 10

Jun. 11-17; Jun. 18 - 24; Jun. 25 - Jul. 1; Jul. 2 - 8;

Jul. 9 - 15; Jul. 16 - 22; Jul. 23 - 29; Jul. 30 - Aug. 5;

Aug. 6 - 12; Aug. 13 - 19; Aug. 20 - 26; Aug. 27 - Sep. 9

Sep. 10 - 23; Sep. 23 - Oct. 7; Oct. 8 - Oct. 13; Oct. 14 - Oct. 28

Oct. 29 - Nov. 3; Nov. 4 - 10; Nov. 11 - 18, Nov. 19 - 25

Nov. 26 - Dec. 2; Dec. 3 - Dec. 9; Dec. 10 - Dec. 28; Dec. 29 - Jan. 7; Jan. 8 - 19

January 2017

January 20

New Jersey Reporter Said There Was A “Blackout On Regional Newspapers” At The Inauguration. Poynter quoted Jonathan Salant, a Washington correspondent for NJ Advance Media who has covered inaugurations since 1989, saying, “The presidential inaugural committee imposed a blackout on regional newspapers with Washington correspondents.” Salant added that he had “never seen such disdain for the media.”

Jonathan Salant, Washington correspondent for NJ Advance Media who has covered every presidential inauguration since 1989, informs me of the following:

"The presidential inaugural committee imposed a blackout on regional newspapers with Washington correspondents. They never returned emails, never responded to requests and denied everyone credentials to cover the Trump inaugural events but never told anyone so reporters had to wait on lines to pick up non-existent credentials."

They wouldn't even let reporters pick up their already-approved Secret Service credentials, Salant said.

"The Regional Reporters Association email list was buzzing the last two days as Washington reporters from papers across the country traded stories of not being told anything about their credentials, and being turned away when they showed up to try to find out anything," he said.

Salant has "never seen such disdain for the media," he said. [Poynter, 1/20/17]

January 21

President Donald Trump: “I Have A Running War With The Media.” During a visit to CIA headquarters, President Donald Trump said he has “a running war with the media” and called reporters “among the most dishonest human beings on earth.” 

The New York Times noted that Trump “unleash[ed] a remarkably bitter attack on the news media, falsely accusing journalists of both inventing a rift between him and intelligence agencies and deliberately understating the size of his inauguration crowd.” Trump accused the media of lying and claimed, “I think they’re going to pay a big price.” From a January 21 New York Times article:

President Trump used his first full day in office on Saturday to unleash a remarkably bitter attack on the news media, falsely accusing journalists of both inventing a rift between him and intelligence agencies and deliberately understating the size of his inauguration crowd.

In a visit to the Central Intelligence Agency intended to showcase his support for the intelligence community, Mr. Trump ignored his own repeated public statements criticizing the intelligence community, a group he compared to Nazis just over a week ago.

He also called journalists “among the most dishonest human beings on earth,” and he said that up to 1.5 million people had attended his inauguration, a claim that photographs disproved.

[...]

On Saturday, he said journalists were responsible for any suggestion that he was not fully supportive of intelligence agencies’ work.

“I have a running war with the media,” Mr. Trump said. “They are among the most dishonest human beings on earth, and they sort of made it sound like I had a feud with the intelligence community.”

[...]

Mr. Trump also took issue with news reports about the number of people who attended his inauguration, complaining that the news media used photographs of “an empty field” to make it seem as if his inauguration did not draw many people.

“We caught them in a beauty,” Mr. Trump said of the news media, “and I think they’re going to pay a big price.” [The New York Times, 1/21/17]

Trump Personally Attacked Time Reporter For Incorrect Tweet On MLK Jr. Bust, Even Though The Reporter "Quickly Acknowledged And Corrected The Mistake." During his CIA visit, Trump also personally attacked Time reporter Zeke Miller for “mistakenly reporting that a bust of Martin Luther King, Jr. had been removed from the Oval Office,” according to The Hill. Miller "quickly acknowledged and corrected the mistake." Trump said the incident demonstrated “‘how dishonest the media is.’” From the January 21 article:

President Trump on Saturday attacked a Time magazine journalist for mistakenly reporting that a bust of Martin Luther King, Jr. had been removed from the Oval Office.

Trump called out the reporter, Zeke Miller, while speaking to staff at the Central Intelligence Agency, even though Miller quickly acknowledged and corrected the mistake the previous day.

“They said that ‘Donald Trump took down the bust — the statue of Dr. Martin Luther King.’ But it was right there. There was a cameraman that was in front of it,” Trump said, standing in front of the CIA’s Memorial Wall honoring the employees who died in the line of duty.

“So Zeke, Zeke from Time magazine writes this story about ‘I took down’ — I would never do that because I have great respect for Dr. Martin Luther King.

“But this is how dishonest the media is,” Trump continued. “Now big story, the retraction was like, where? Was it a line or do they even bother putting it in?” [The Hill, 1/21/17]

Press Secretary Sean Spicer Falsely Claimed Media “Engaged In Deliberately False Reporting” On Inauguration Crowd Size. In his first official statement from the White House press briefing room on January 21, White House press secretary Sean Spicer claimed that “some members of the media were engaged in deliberately false reporting,” again attacking Miller for his “irresponsible and reckless” tweet about the Martin Luther King Jr. bust. He also falsely claimed that media reported “inaccurate numbers involving crowd size” at the inauguration and falsely claimed, “This was the largest audience to ever witness an inauguration -- period.” Spicer added, “We're going to hold the press accountable.” From Politico’s transcript:

SEAN SPICER: Yesterday, at a time when our nation and the world was watching the peaceful transition of power and, as the President said, the transition and the balance of power from Washington to the citizens of the United States, some members of the media were engaged in deliberately false reporting. For all the talk about the proper use of Twitter, two instances yesterday stand out.

One was a particular egregious example in which a reporter falsely tweeted out that the bust of Martin Luther King, Jr. had been removed from the Oval Office. After it was pointed out that this was just plain wrong, the reporter casually reported and tweeted out and tried to claim that a Secret Service agent must have just been standing in front of it. This was irresponsible and reckless.

Secondly, photographs of the inaugural proceedings were intentionally framed in a way, in one particular tweet, to minimize the enormous support that had gathered on the National Mall. This was the first time in our nation's history that floor coverings have been used to protect the grass on the Mall. That had the effect of highlighting any areas where people were not standing, while in years past the grass eliminated this visual. This was also the first time that fencing and magnetometers went as far back on the Mall, preventing hundreds of thousands of people from being able to access the Mall as quickly as they had in inaugurations past.

Inaccurate numbers involving crowd size were also tweeted. No one had numbers, because the National Park Service, which controls the National Mall, does not put any out. By the way, this applies to any attempts to try to count the number of protestors today in the same fashion.

We do know a few things, so let's go through the facts. We know that from the platform where the President was sworn in, to 4th Street, it holds about 250,000 people. From 4th Street to the media tent is about another 220,000. And from the media tent to the Washington Monument, another 250,000 people. All of this space was full when the President took the Oath of Office. We know that 420,000 people used the D.C. Metro public transit yesterday, which actually compares to 317,000 that used it for President Obama's last inaugural. This was the largest audience to ever witness an inauguration -- period -- both in person and around the globe. Even the New York Times printed a photograph showing a misrepresentation of the crowd in the original Tweet in their paper, which showed the full extent of the support, depth in crowd, and intensity that existed.

[...]

The President is committed to unifying our country, and that was the focus of his inaugural address. This kind of dishonesty in the media, the challenging -- that bringing about our nation together is making it more difficult.

There's been a lot of talk in the media about the responsibility to hold Donald Trump accountable. And I'm here to tell you that it goes two ways. We're going to hold the press accountable, as well. The American people deserve better. And as long as he serves as the messenger for this incredible movement, he will take his message directly to the American people where his focus will always be. [Politico, 1/21/17; CNNMoney.com, 1/21/17]

January 22

Trump Team Refused To Send A Representative To CNN’s Sunday Show The Day After CNN Opted Not To Air The Spicer Presser Live. Trump and his team refused to send a representative to appear on CNN’s Sunday political talk show, State of the Union, while booking appearances on the major political talk shows on ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox Broadcasting Co. At the top of the January 22 edition of CNN’s State of the Union, host Jake Tapper said that his show “asked the Trump White House for a member of the new administration to join us this morning, but they declined.” The refusal came a day after CNN chose not to air the live feed of Spicer’s press conference. [Media Matters, 1/22/17]

White House Chief Of Staff Reince Priebus: “There’s An Obsession By The Media To Delegitimize This President, And We Are Not Going To Sit Around And Let It Happen.” Making an appearing on Fox News Sunday, White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus attempted to spin a question about Spicer’s press conference by lashing out at media reporting. When asked why Trump would bring up crowd size, Pribus replied that “it’s not about crowd size. It’s about honesty in the media.” Priebus continued to lash out at the media, claiming that “there's an obsession by the media to delegitimize this president, and we are not going to sit around and let it happen. We’re going to fight back tooth and nail every day, and twice on Sunday.” Like Trump and Spicer, Priebus also brought up Miller’s mistaken tweet to try to cast blame on the media at large:

CHRIS WALLACE (HOST): President Trump said in his inaugural address that every decision he makes will be to benefit American families. How does arguing about crowd size do that?

REINCE PRIEBUS: Because it’s really not about crowd size. What it’s about is honesty in the media.

[...]

WALLACE: Wait a minute, he could have given a news conference yesterday, talked about the agenda, talked about the signing, the executive actions he's going to sign, his legislative agenda. He talks about crowd size. Let me ask you about one --

PRIEBUS: Wait a minute, wait a minute. Let's back up. We didn't tweet out that MLK Jr.'s bust was removed from the Oval Office. We didn’t --

[CROSSTALK]

WALLACE: Wait a minute, the reporter made a mistake, he apologized. And Spicer sent him a tweet back saying "apology accepted". 

PRIEBUS: Right, so these are the mistakes that are made. A reporter shoots first, aims later. I think the magnitude --

WALLACE: Are you saying there's a conspiracy here? 

PRIEBUS: I’m saying there's an obsession by the media to delegitimize this president, and we are not going to sit around and let it happen. We’re going to fight back tooth and nail every day, and twice on Sunday. [FoxNews.com, 1/22/17; Fox Broadcasting Co., Fox News Sunday, 1/23/17]

Kellyanne Conway: If The Press Is “Going To Keep Referring To Our Press Secretary In Those Terms, I Think We're Going To Have To Rethink Our Relationship Here.” Counselor to the president Kellyanne Conway, speaking to NBC host Chuck Todd, criticized Todd for saying Spicer uttered a “provable falsehood” at his press briefing, saying, “Chuck, if we're going to keep referring to our press secretary in those types of terms, I think we're going to have to rethink our relationship here.” Conway defended Spicer’s press briefing, claiming that he simply gave “alternative facts” about the inauguration crowd size, and she attacked Miller for his tweet about the Martin Luther King Jr. bust. From the January 22 edition of NBC’s Meet the Press:

CHUCK TODD (HOST): You make a very reasonable and rational case for why crowd sizes don't matter, then explain -- you did not answer the question. Why did the president send out his press secretary, who's not just the spokesperson for Donald Trump, he also serves as the spokesperson for all of America at times. He speaks for all of the country at times, why put him out there for the very first time in front of that podium to utter a provable falsehood? It's a small thing, but the first time he confronts the public, it's a falsehood?

KELLYANNE CONWAY: Chuck, if we're going to keep referring to our press secretary in those types of terms, I think we're going to have to rethink our relationship here. I want to have a great, open relationship with our press. But look what happened the day before, talking about falsehoods. We allowed the press to come into the Oval Office and witness President Trump signing executive orders. Of course the Senate just confirmed General Mattis and General Kelly to their two posts, and we allow the press in, and what happens almost immediately? A falsehood is told about removing the bust of Martin Luther King Jr. from the Oval Office. That's just flat out false.

TODD: And it was corrected immediately. But Kellyanne --

CONWAY: But, Chuck, why was it said? Chuck, why was it said in the first place? Because everybody is so presumptively negative --

TODD: I don't know. Climb into the head of that reporter.

CONWAY: Oh no, no, no, that reporter was writing on behalf of the press pool. That falsehood, that spread 3,000 times before it was corrected. And it's still out there.

TODD: Excuse me, it does not excuse, and you did not answer the question --

CONWAY: I did answer your question.

TODD: No you did not. You did not answer the question of why the president asked the White House press secretary to come out in front of the podium for the first time and utter a falsehood. Why did he do that? It undermines the credibility of the entire White House Press Office on day one.

CONWAY: No it doesn't, don't be so overly dramatic about it, Chuck. You're saying it's a falsehood, and Sean Spicer, our press secretary, gave alternative facts to that. But the point remains that there's --

TODD: Wait, wait, alternative facts? Alternative facts -- four of the five facts he uttered. The one thing he got right was Zeke Miller. Four of the five facts he uttered were just not true. Look, alternative facts are not facts. They're falsehoods. [NBC, Meet the Press, 1/22/17]

Conway: “No Defense 4 Press Lies About MLK Jr. Bust.” Defending her Meet the Press interview, Conway wrote on Twitter, “Watch entire clip! No defense 4 press lies about MLK Jr. bust; actual facts about women in poverty, w/ no health care, failing schools”:

[Twitter, 1/22/17]

January 23

Conway: “Because Of What The Press Is Doing Now To Me ... We Have Packages Delivered To My House With White Substances.” During a January 23 interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity, Conway claimed that “because of what the press is doing now to me, I have Secret Service protection.” Conway also accused the press of having “presumptive negativity” about the Trump administration. From the January 23 edition of Hannity:

KELLYANNE CONWAY: The print pooler sent out the pool report that the MLK bust had been removed. It is false. I don’t say his name publicly because I don’t want him to get attacked like I do. Because of what the press is doing now to me, I have Secret Service protection. We have packages delivered to my house with white substances. That is a shame and, yes, I hold into account for it. This guy puts it out, it gets tweeted and it gets reported 3,000 times. You still can't take it back. He apologized to his colleagues in the press, he has not apologized to the president, and the damage is done because then people look at Donald Trump as the R-word. The darn bust was right there. I was standing next to it. It was being hidden by a guard. But why don't you ask us? Why don't you say, ‘Where's the bust?’ It's presumptive negativity. [Fox News, Hannity, 1/23/17]

Spicer: “The Default [Media] Narrative Is Always Negative, And That’s Demoralizing” And “Frustrating.” In his first full press briefing as White House press secretary, Spicer admonished the press for, what he perceived was a “constant theme” in the media “to undercut the tremendous support” for Trump. Spicer complained that the “default narrative is always negative,” calling the coverage “demoralizing” and “frustrating”:

White House press secretary Sean Spicer on Monday launched into a lengthy defense of statements made by him and President Trump, and of criticisms of the president.

"The default narrative is always negative," Spicer said Monday during his first briefing in which he took questions. "And that's demoralizing."

Spicer lamented what he called a "constant theme to undercut the tremendous support" that Trump has, adding, "I think its just unbelievably frustrating when you're continually told it's not big enough; it's not good enough; you can't win." [NPR, 1/23/17]

Conway: “Proud” Of Spicer For “Hit[ting] Back” At Media’s “‘Constant Theme To Undercut’ Trump.” On January 23, Conway tweeted a link to a post on a right-wing website headlined “WATCH: Sean Spicer HITS BACK at 'constant theme to undercut' Trump by media,” adding that she was “proud” of Spicer.

[Twitter, 1/23/17]

January 24

Trump Called CNN "FAKE NEWS,", Attacked Them For Inauguration Ratings. In a January 25 tweet, Trump panned CNN for not having the highest inauguration ratings, calling them "FAKE NEWS" and suggesting the "public" was "smart" for not watching the network:

[Twitter, 1/24/17]

January 25

Trump Mocked Reporters For “Groveling” To Get A Story. During a January 25 interview with ABC’s David Muir, Trump falsely claimed that the author of a Pew report on voter registration inaccuracies provided evidence of voter fraud. When Muir fact-checked the president, saying that the Pew author said “they found no evidence of voter fraud,” Trump claimed the Pew author was “groveling again” and added “I always talk about the reporters that grovel when they write something that you want to hear but not necessarily millions of people want to hear, or have to hear.”

DONALD TRUMP: He is groveling again. You know, I always talk about the reporters that grovel when they write something that you want to hear but not necessarily millions of people want to hear, or have to hear. [ABC News, ABC World News Tonight with David Muir, 1/25/16]

Dan Scavino Tweeted “We Have Zero Interest In Sharing Security Measures With The Media” After NY Times Reported That Trump Tweets From An Unsecured Phone. Following a January 25 New York Times story that reported that Trump uses “his old, unsecured Android phone, to the protests of some of his aides,” White House social media director Dan Scavino tweeted, “We have zero interest in sharing security measures with the media- when it comes to various social media accounts.”

[The New York Times, 1/25/17; Twitter, 1/25/17]

January 26

Trump: There's "Nothing Fair About The Media. Nothing." In a speech before congressional Republicans at a policy retreat, Trump criticized the press for "never giv[ing]" anti-abortion activists "the credit that they deserve," adding that there's "nothing fair about the media. Nothing." From the January 26 speech:

DONALD TRUMP: We've reinstated the Mexico City policy, a longstanding policy -- isn't that nice? And by the way, on Friday, a lot of people are going to be showing up to Washington, right Mike? A lot of people. You know, the press never gives them the credit that they deserve. They'll have 300, 400, 500, 600,000 people. You won't even read about it. When other people show up, you read big time about it. Right? So it's not fair, but nothing fair about the media. Nothing. [CNN, live remarks from President Donald Trump, 1/26/17]

Trump's Chief Strategist Stephen Bannon Demanded The Media "Keep Its Mouth Shut." The New York Times reported that Stephen Bannon, Trump’s chief strategist, attacked the entire mainstream media as “the opposition party” in an interview. Bannon lambasted the media’s “humiliating defeat” in incorrectly predicting Trump would lose the election and demanded that media should “keep its mouth shut and just listen for awhile”:

Stephen K. Bannon, President Trump’s chief White House strategist, laced into the American press during an interview on Wednesday evening, arguing that news organizations had been “humiliated” by an election outcome few anticipated, and repeatedly describing the media as “the opposition party” of the current administration.

“The media should be embarrassed and humiliated and keep its mouth shut and just listen for awhile,” Mr. Bannon said during a telephone call.

“I want you to quote this,” Mr. Bannon added. “The media here is the opposition party. They don’t understand this country. They still do not understand why Donald Trump is the president of the United States.”

[...]

“The elite media got it dead wrong, 100 percent dead wrong,” Mr. Bannon said of the election, calling it “a humiliating defeat that they will never wash away, that will always be there.”

“The mainstream media has not fired or terminated anyone associated with following our campaign,” Mr. Bannon said. “Look at the Twitter feeds of those people: they were outright activists of the Clinton campaign.” (He did not name specific reporters or editors.)

“That’s why you have no power,” Mr. Bannon added. “You were humiliated.”

[...]

“You’re the opposition party,” Mr. Bannon said. “Not the Democratic Party. You’re the opposition party. The media’s the opposition party.”

While Mr. Bannon mostly referred to the “elite” or “mainstream” media, he cited The New York Times and The Washington Post by name.

“The paper of record for our beloved republic, The New York Times, should be absolutely ashamed and humiliated,” Mr. Bannon said. “They got it 100 percent wrong.”

He added that he has been a reader of The Times for most of his adult life. [The New York Times, 1/26/17]

Trump: "Much Of The Media ... Is Very, Very Dishonest. Honestly, It Is Fake News." Trump took issue with reporting on his trip to the CIA, complaining that the media demeaned his visit and lashing out at how the crowd's support was portrayed. During a January 26 interview with Fox News' Sean Hannity, the president stated, "What I'm saying, Sean, is this: the media, much of the media, not all of it, is very, very dishonest. Honestly, it is fake news. It's fake, they make things up." From the January 26 interview: 

DONALD TRUMP: There were like 300, 350 people in the room, over 1000 wanted to come. And if I took a vote right now, I would've won 350 to nothing, believe me, but even that was demeaned as much as they can demean it. What I'm saying, Sean, is this: the media, much of the media, not all of it, is very, very dishonest. Honestly, it is fake news. It's fake, they make things up. [Fox News, Hannity, 1/26/17]

January 27

Conway: It’s “Dangerous To The Democracy” For The Press To Call Out Trump’s Lies. On Fox & Friends, Conway suggested that “it’s dangerous to the democracy and for those around the world watching what we do and how this president is covered in his early days” for the press to call out Trump’s lies. Conway also agreed with co-host’s Steve Doocy’s claim that the press “would never do that to Barack Obama in a million years.” From the January 27 edition of Fox News’ Fox & Friends:

STEVE DOOCY (CO-HOST): Plus there are some, Kellyanne, there are some reporters who are calling -- Kellyanne, there are some reporters in some newspapers that are just flat out calling the president a liar. They would never do that to Barack Obama in a million years.

KELLYANNE CONWAY: Even when he did. You can keep your doctor if you like, you can keep your insurance plan. We have 57 states in the nation. I mean, there were plenty of occasions to call out former presidents on their falsehoods and that was done very sparingly and not so strategically. I think it's dangerous to the democracy and for those around the world watching what we do and how this president is covered in his early days, very dangerous to just throw in adjectives like that, either without evidence, but also without context. And I think some of the coverage, in addition to -- bias is easy to detect. It's really the incomplete coverage that I’m watching very closely. It's, well, what's missing from the story? What was omitted? What's left on the cutting room floor that actually would inform the public factually about what's happening here? What an amazing week.

DOOCY: No kidding. [Fox News, Fox & Friends, 1/27/17]

Spicer Criticized CNN For Calling Demonstrators At The March For Life "Demonstrators." Spicer took to Twitter on January 27 to criticize CNN’s coverage of the anti-choice March for Life, specifically taking issue with their reference to attendees as “demonstrators.” The New York Times’ Sopan Deb responded, “that is literally what they’re doing. Demonstrating.”

[Twitter, 1/27/17]

Trump: The Media Is "A Disgrace" And "The Opposition Party In Many Ways.” Trump told CBN host David Brody, “I think the media is the opposition party in many ways” during an interview released on January 27. The president added, “I’m not talking about everybody, but a big portion of the media, the dishonesty, total deceit and deception. It makes them certainly partially the opposition party, absolutely.” Trump concluded, “yes, the media is a disgrace, and they’ve called me wrong from the beginning.” From the Christian Broadcasting Network interview:

DAVID BRODY: “Steve Bannon, one of your top advisors just the other day, to the New York Times called the media the ‘opposition party.’ Do you believe that?

DONALD TRUMP: “I think to a large extent they’re much more capable than the other side.”

DAVID BRODY: “Other side, meaning?”

TRUMP: “Yeah, I think the media is the opposition party in many ways. And I think that, and I’m not talking about all of them. I know people, like yourself, but I know people in the media that I have tremendous respect for. Respect them as much as anybody, so I’m not talking about everybody, but a big portion of the media, the dishonesty, total deceit and deception. It makes them certainly partially the opposition party, absolutely. I think they’re much more capable than the opposition party. The opposition party is losing badly. Now the media is on the opposition party’s side. And I actually said to myself, I say they treat me so unfairly it’s hard to believe that I won. But the fortunate thing about me is I have a big voice. I have a voice that people understand. And you see it now. We’re bringing back jobs. Ford is making a massive investment now in Michigan, General Motors is going to be making just magnificent investments, so many other companies are coming back in. But yes, the media is a disgrace, and they’ve called me wrong from the beginning. [Christian Broadcasting Network, The Brody File, 1/27/17]

January 28

Trump Called Out "Failing" And “Dishonest” NY Times And Wash. Post For Their “False And Angry” Coverage Of Him. In a series of tweets on January 28, Trump lashed out at The New York Times,­ calling them "failing" and "FAKE NEWS." Trump also complained that coverage about him in the Times and The Washington Post was "false and angry," claiming their reporting was "DISHONEST." [Twitter, 1/28/17, 1/28/17, 1/28/17]

January 29

Conway: Why Haven't Members Of The Media Been Fired For Their Trump Coverage? Conway lamented that journalists have not been "let go" for their Trump coverage, stating: "Not one network person has been let go. Not one silly political analyst and pundit who talked smack all day long about Donald Trump has been let go." Conway added, "we know all their names." This came in response to her being asked about Bannon’s attacks on the press. From the January 29 edition of Fox Broadcasting Co.’s Fox News Sunday:

KELLYANNE CONWAY: Who’s cleaning house? Which one is going to be the first network to get rid of these people who said things that just weren't true.

[...]

Not one network person has been let go. Not one silly political analyst and pundit who talked smack all day long about Donald Trump has been let go. They’re on panels every Sunday, they’re on cable news every day. Who’s the first editorial writer, where's the first blogger that will be let go that embarrassed his or her outlets? We know all their names. I'm too polite to call them out by name, but they know who they are, and they’re all wondering, will I be the first to go. The election was three months ago. None of them have been let go. [Fox Broadcasting Co., Fox News Sunday, 1/29/17]

Trump: “Somebody With Aptitude And Conviction Should Buy The FAKE NEWS And Failing @NYTimes And Either Run It Correctly Or Let It Fold With Dignity!"

[Twitter, 1/29/17]

Spicer Defended Statements That The Media Are “The Opposition Party”: "There Are Stories And Journalists Who Start Off With A Negative Disposition" On Trump. Spicer defended claims from Trump and Bannon that the media are the opposition party, stating, "there are stories and journalists who start off with a negative disposition on how they are going to cover the president and his actions." In the same interview, Spicer said it was “absolutely” the case that a media outlet that accuses Trump of lying is acting like an opposition party. [Fox News, MediaBuzz, 1/29/17]

Trump Accused Media Of “Falsely Reporting” That His Executive Order Is A “Muslim Ban.” Trump on January 29 published a statement on his Facebook page regarding the executive order he signed that bans refugees, visitors, and immigrants from seven Muslim-majority nations, stating, “to be clear, this is not a Muslim ban, as the media is falsely reporting.” But on January 28, Rudy Giuliani, who served during the campaign as a top Trump surrogate and is now an informal adviser to the president, bragged that he crafted a legal version of Trump’s “Muslim ban.” [Facebook, 1/29/17; Fox News, Justice with Judge Jeanine, 1/28/17] 

January 30

Trump Doubled Down On Claim That The Media Are “The Opposition Party.”

[Twitter, 1/30/17]

Spicer: Media Always “Lead With The Perceived Negative.” During a January 30 event at George Washington University, Spicer claimed that with media, "The lead is always the perceived negative." Spicer added, "It's never lead with the positive, it's always lead with the perceived negative." [C-SPAN, Media Coverage of the Trump Administration, 1/30/17]

Spicer Accused Media Of Spreading Misinformation About NSC And Faulty Reporting On Muslim Ban, Ridiculed Some Reporters’ Questions. During the January 30 White House daily press briefing, Spicer repeatedly complained about coverage of Trump’s memo on the National Security Council, saying: “Just yesterday, we called several outlets who were severely misreporting this topic to better inform them about what this memo means,” and later said any reporting that the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff was being taken off the National Security Council Principals Committee “is a spread of misinformation, plain and simple.” He later criticized American Urban Radio Networks’ White House correspondent April Ryan’s question about how much Trump values input from the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and other intelligence or military officials as “unbelievable.” When asked a question about the failure to specifically mention Jewish victims of the Holocaust in Trump’s Holocaust Remembrance Day statement, Spicer dismissed “nitpicking” about this as “pathetic” and “ridiculous,” and accused many reporters of offending Christians in response to a Christmas statement released by the Republican National Committee. And when asked by NBC’s White House correspondent Kristen Welker about comments from former national security officials that the Muslim ban executive order will make America less safe, Spicer criticized people for allegedly not reading the text of the order -- which had not yet been posted on the White House’s website -- and instead getting information about it through “misguided media reports.” [White House Press Briefing, 1/30/17; 1/30/17; 1/30/17; 1/30/17]

January 31

Spicer Blamed NBC For “Confusion” Over Trump’s Muslim Ban And Cast Doubt On NY Times Reporting On DHS Secretary’s Knowledge Of It. During the January 31 White House daily press briefing, Spicer told NBC’s Kristen Welker that NBC was to blame for “confusion” surrounding Trump’s executive order, saying, “I think you have been part of the confusion. You have helped cause this.” Spicer also referred to reporting that Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly was not fully briefed on the Muslim ban executive order until it was being signed as “misinformation,” and later said of this reporting, “I don’t believe the New York Times’ reporting is accurate.” [White House Press Briefing, 1/31/17; 1/31/17; 1/31/17]

Trump Campaign Text: “The Media Has Waged A Nasty Fight Every Day” Since Trump Was Sworn In, “Fight Back” And “Donate.” The Trump campaign sent a text message to supporters which said, “President Trump took office only 10 days ago and the media has waged a nasty fight every day. Fight back. Donate by the 11:59p deadline,” according to Politico reporter Gabriel Debenedetti.

[Twitter, 1/31/17] 

February 2017

February 1

Trump Attacked CNN As “Fake News,” Reiterated Claim That Media Are “The Opposition Party.” In a meeting honoring Black History Month that was televised from the White House, Trump said that CNN was a “hostile” place for supporters of his, adding, “I don’t watch CNN. … I don’t like watching fake news.” Trump later repeated his claim the press are “the opposition party”:

DONALD TRUMP: A lot of the media is actually the opposition party. They're so biased. And really it's a disgrace. Some of the media is fantastic and fair. But so much of the media is opposition party and knowingly saying incorrect things. So it's a very sad situation. But we seem to be doing well. You know, it's almost like in the meantime, we won, so maybe they don't have the influence they think. But they really are, they really have to straighten out their act, they're very dishonest people. [CNN, CNN Newsroom, 2/1/17; 2/1/17]

Trump Said “The Press Can Be Very Demeaning,” But Expects Them To Be “Very Dignified” In Coverage Of His SCOTUS Nominee. As he made introductory remarks at a meeting with conservative advocacy groups who support his Supreme Court nominee, Trump said, “We want to have him go through an elegant process as opposed to a demeaning process because they're very demeaning on the other side, and they want to make you look as bad as possible. And, of course, the press can be very demeaning too, so -- but I'm sure the press will be very dignified in this case.” [CNN, Inside Politics, 2/1/17]

February 2

Conway Accused The Media Of "Inciting Mob Mentality If Not Mob Violence" With Its Coverage. According to Mediaite, while appearing on Premiere Radio Networks' The Sean Hannity Show, Conway accused the media of "inciting mob mentality, if not mob violence" with its coverage of the Trump administration by “not showing the President and his main spokespeople respect.” Conway added that media coverage “encourage[ed] people to go out there and unpeacefully protest.” As reported by Mediaite:

Explaining that she thought protesters largely had “a very low level of literacy” of the issues they were demonstrating in the name of, Conway explained she felt the tone of the coverage of Trump amplifies that anger of the protesters:

“It never took on the aura of respect that it deserved, and if you are not showing the President and his main spokespeople respect, then you’re not showing the office respect, and you are inciting mob mentality if not mob violence. You are encouraging people to go out there and unpeacefully protest and block airport entrances for people who are going to visit a sick parent and can’t make their flight, or are going for a bereavement call and can’t make their flight.” [Mediaite, 2/2/17] 

February 3

Conway Complained That Media Failed To Cover A Nonexistent Massacre, Then Criticized NBC Reporter For Noting Her Error. On MSNBC’s Hardball, Conway lamented that there “was very little coverage” of the “Bowling Green Massacre” and that “most people don’t know” about it “because it didn’t get covered.” In fact, the so-called “Bowling Green Massacre” never happened. The next day, on February 3, Conway took to Twitter to call out an NBC reporter for not having “asked what I meant on Hardball before slamming me,” concluding that the reporter's actions were “not cool” and “not journalism.” From the February 2 interview:

KELLYANNE CONWAY: It's the seven countries that were previously identified by President Obama as being high risk, as being states that either harbor, train or export -- and/or export terrorism. These are nations very narrowly proscribed and also temporary.

CHRIS MATTHEWS (HOST): Sure.

CONWAY: I bet there was very little coverage, I bet it's brand-new information to people that President Obama had a six-month ban on the Iraqi refugee program after two Iraqis came here to this country, were radicalized, and they were the masterminds behind the Bowling Green massacre.

MATTHEWS: Let's --

CONWAY: Most people don't know that because it didn't get covered. [MSNBC, Hardball with Chris Matthews, 2/2/17; Salon, 2/3/17]

[Twitter, 2/3/17]

February 4

Trump Claimed NY Times Was “Forced To Apologize For Its Bad And Inaccurate Coverage” Of His Campaign, Again Called It “FAKE NEWS.”

[Twitter, 2/4/17]

February 5

Conway Defended Her Attacks On The Media In An Interview With Fox News. In a prerecorded interview on Fox’s MediaBuzz, Conway defended her February 2 claim that the media are “inciting mob mentality if not mob violence” by reporting on how the affected families of Trump’s Muslim ban were negatively impacted by the order. Dismissing many reporters as elitist, Conway told them how to properly report on the Trump administration, saying: “America didn't go to the fancy Ivy League schools like many in the media did. America doesn’t -- there are some people in the media their latte and dry cleaning bill for the year is basically what people earn in some of these districts and counties where Donald Trump won. ... Fast forward, why don't they go and they see who’s actually going to benefit and talk to the people who are [tangentially] going to benefit from Donald Trump keeping the factories here and not in Mexico and China?”

Later in the interview, Conway bashed the media for making errors and then posting corrections, and falsely claimed she “misspoke one word” when bringing up the nonexistent “Bowling Green massacre” on MSNBC which she had previously cited in several other interviews. Conway also used the interview to defend her January 29 suggestion that reporters be fired for their Trump campaign coverage.[Fox News, MediaBuzz, 2/5/17, 2/5/17; Media Matters, 2/7/17]

February 6

Trump: “Any Negative Polls Are Fake News, Just Like The CNN, ABC, NBC Polls In The Election.”

[Twitter, 2/6/17]

Trump: “In Many Cases, The Very, Very Dishonest Press Doesn’t Want To Report” On Terrorist Attacks. In an address to the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) in Tampa, FL, Trump attacked the “very, very dishonest press” for supposedly “not even” reporting on terrorist attacks, adding that the press has “their reasons” for the alleged lack of coverage. From the February 6 address:

DONALD TRUMP: You’ve seen what happened in Paris and Nice. All over Europe, it’s happening. It’s gotten to a point where it's not even being reported, and in many cases, the very, very dishonest press doesn't want to report it. They have their reasons, and you understand that. So today we deliver a message in one very unified voice to these forces of death and destruction: America and its allies will defeat you. We will defeat them. [CNN, President Trump’s Address to U.S. CENTCOM, 2/6/17]

May 12

Trump Lashed Out At “The Fake Media” And Threatened To Cancel “All Future ‘Press Briefings,’” In A Series Of Tweets.

[Twitter, 5/12/17, 5/12/17, 5/12/17]

May 13

Trump Repeated Threat To End Daily Press Briefings Because Of “Hostility” From Media. In an interview on Fox News’ Justice with Judge Jeanine, Trump doubled down on his threat to cancel White House press briefings, suggesting that they could replace them with “a piece of paper with a perfectly accurate, beautiful answer” given to reporters. [Fox News, Justice with Judge Jeanine, 5/13/17]

May 17

At Coast Guard Commencement Speech, Trump Complained That “No Politician In History … Has Been Treated Worse Or More Unfairly” By The Media. Trump, while speaking before the Coast Guard Academy as their commencement speaker, said that “no politician in history, and I say this with great surety, has been treated worse or more unfairly” by the media. He added that he “didn't get elected to serve the Washington media.” From the May 17 speech:

DONALD TRUMP: Now I want to take this opportunity to give you some advice. Over the course of your life, you will find that things are not always fair. You will find that things happen to you that you do not deserve and that are not always warranted, but you have to put your head down and fight, fight, fight. Never, ever, ever give up. Things will work out just fine.

Look at the way I've been treated lately. Especially by the media. No politician in history, and I say this with great surety, has been treated worse or more unfairly. You can't let them get you down. You can't let the critics and the naysayers get in the way of your dreams. I guess that's why I won. Thank you. I guess that's why we won. Adversity makes you stronger. Don't give in, don't back down, and never stop doing what you know is right. Nothing worth doing ever, ever, ever came easy, and the more righteous your fight, the more opposition that you will face. [Media Matters, 5/17/17]

May 18

Scavino Called CNN Host Don Lemon A “Dummy” On Twitter.

[Twitter, 5/18/17]

May 21

Tillerson Held Joint Press Conference In Saudi Arabia Without Inviting American Reporters. During Trump’s visit to Saudi Arabia, Tillerson held a press conference with the Saudi foreign minister, but failed to notify American reporters about it:

Tillerson held the press conference with the Saudi foreign minister, Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir, but it appeared that only foreign reporters were present. Journalists from the United States were left scrambling to figure out what happened.

The State Department later apologized, adding that it couldn't notify the press in time.

State Department spokesman R.C. Hammond said there was "not enough time to alert or make arrangements for U.S. media to participate."

"Steps were immediately taken to ensure a transcript could be produced and distributed to reporters. Ideally, members of the U.S. press corps should have had the option to attend the press conference and ask questions," he said.

[...]

Reporters later found a feed of the event that they used to transcribe Tillerson's remarks. The secretary spoke about President Trump's speech to the Muslim world on Sunday. [CNN.com, 5/22/17]

May 28

Trump: “Fake News” Is “The Enemy,” And It “Fabricated Lies” About White House Leaks And Ignored Congressional Race.

[Twitter, 5/28/17, 5/28/17, 5/28/17, 5/28/17]

Trump: “The Fake News Media Works Hard At Disparaging & Demeaning My Use Of Social Media Because They Don’t Want America To Hear The Real Story!”

[Twitter, 5/28/17]

Scavino Called The Wall Street Journal “#FakeNewsMedia” After Reporting That Trump’s Tweets Could Be Vetted By Attorneys. After The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump “is actively discussing major changes in the White House, including having lawyers vet his tweets” to “decide if any needed to be adjusted or curtailed,” Scavino tweeted that the Journal is part of the “#FakeNewsMedia” and has “terrible ‘sources.’”

[The Wall Street Journal, 5/27/17, Twitter, 5/28/17]

May 30

Trump: “Fake News” Outlets Have Been “Taken Over” By Reporting On Possible Collusion With Russia.

[Twitter, 5/30/17]

June 5

White House Staffers Berated Morning Show Hosts For Covering Trump’s Tweets Pushing The Muslim Ban. Conway and Gorka objected to questions about Trump’s tweets pushing the Muslim ban during morning show interviews. On NBC's Today, Conway lamented the "obsession with covering everything he says on Twitter and very little of what he does as president," while Gorka said on CNN’s New Day that co-host Chris Cuomo was being “irresponsible” for covering Trump’s tweets, repeatedly calling him obsessed. Gorka later tweeted that the interview showed that CNN was “truly #FAKENEWS.” [Media Matters, 6/5/17; Twitter, 6/5/17]

Huckabee Sanders Castigated Media For An “Obsession Over Every Detail Of The President’s Tweets,” Which Are To Get Around “Media Bias.” NBC’s Hallie Jackson asked Huckabee Sanders at the daily White House press briefing about “another top adviser” claiming the media are “obsessed” over Trump’s tweets, and whether she would characterize media coverage of them the same way. Huckabee Sanders said Trump’s tweets are a way to communicate “that isn’t filtered through media bias” before agreeing that the media “obsesses over” every detail of the president’s public communications. From the June 5 press briefing:

HALLIE JACKSON: You mentioned the president's tweets are -- essentially a way to get around the filter of the biassed media when it comes to his tweets, and he sees them as an important way to get his message out. Just this morning, another top adviser in this White House said that the media was obsessed with the president’s tweets, implying it didn’t matter. So I guess just philosophically, which is it? Do the president's tweets matter, or are they just something the media gets obsessed about?

SARAH HUCKABEE SANDERS: I think that they matter in the sense that it gives him a communications tool, again, that isn't filtered through media bias. But at the same time, I do think that the media obsesses over every period, dot, as John was a perfect example earlier. He made a mistake. His colleague politely corrected him. If somebody from our administration had done the same, all hell would have broken loose and it would be the -- it’s just total, like, chaos and conundrum here at the White House. So I think it's just the obsession over every detail of the president's tweets. [White House Press Briefing, 6/5/17]

June 6

Trump: “The FAKE [Mainstream Media] Is Working So Hard Trying To Get Me Not To Use Social Media. They Hate That I Can Get The Honest And Unfiltered Message Out.”

[Twitter, 6/6/17]

Trump: “Sorry Folks, But If I Would Have Relied On The Fake News Of CNN, NBC, ABC, CBS, [Washington Post] or [New York Times], I Would Have Had ZERO Chance Winning WH.”

[Twitter, 6/6/17]

June 9

Trump Criticized “Killer Networks That Treat Me So Badly As Fake News” In Joint Presser With Romanian President. During a June 9 press conference with Romania’s president, Trump criticized the “killer networks that treat me so badly as fake news.” From the joint press conference:

TRUMP: Who would like to ask -- should I take one of the killer networks that treat me so badly as fake news? Should I do that? Go ahead, Jon. Be fair, Jon.

JON KARL: Oh, absolutely.

TRUMP: Remember how nice you used to be before I ran? Such a nice man. [Press conference with Romanian president, 6/9/17]

June 11

Trump: “The #FakeNews [Mainstream Media] Doesn't Report The Great Economic News Since Election Day.”

[Twitter, 6/11/17]

June 13

Trump: “The Fake News Media Has Never Been So Wrong Or So Dirty. Purposely Incorrect Stories And Phony Sources To Meet Their Agenda Of Hate. Sad!”

[Twitter, 6/13/17]

Trump: “Fake News Is At An All Time High. Where Is Their Apology To Me For All Of The Incorrect Stories???”

[Twitter 6/13/17]

June 16

Trump: “The Fake News Media Hates When I Use” Social Media Because “I Can Go Around Them.”

[Twitter, 6/16/17]

June 19

White House Banned Audio Broadcasting Of Off-Camera Press “Gaggle.” CNN reported how the Trump administration had been undermining the daily White House press briefings for a week, explaining that on June 19 they banned journalists from broadcasting the audio of an off-camera “gaggle.” From the CNN article:

The White House press briefing has seen better days. Lately, in fact, the briefing is often not seen at all.

For four days last week, representatives for President Trump skipped the usual on-camera briefing to take questions off-camera. This wasn't the first time the White House had taken this step, but this month has brought an added twist.

In response to networks like CNN that decided to broadcast audio of the briefing, even without a visual to accompany, the White House barred attendees from doing that, too. Monday's briefing -- the White House termed it a "gaggle," a more informal set-up, though it took place in a format much like a briefing -- was likewise off-camera, with audio broadcasting forbidden. [CNN.com, 6/19/17]

June 20

Trump: “Well, The Special Elections Are Over And Those That Want To MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN Are 5 And O! All The Fake News, All The Money Spent = 0.”

[Twitter, 6/20/17]

June 21

Spicer Blamed Reduced On-Camera White House Press Briefings On Reporters Wanting To Be “YouTube Stars.” Spicer criticized White House correspondents for wanting to be “YouTube stars” when explaining the Trump administration’s decision to scale back daily press briefings in an interview with right-wing talk radio host Laura Ingraham. From a June 21 LifeZette report on his interview:

"There's a lot of them that want to become YouTube stars and ask some snarky question that's been asked eight times. And that's right, that's their right to do that. But it's our job to make sure that we're providing updates and readouts of what the president is doing and the advances he is making on his agenda," Spicer continued. "And so there is a bit of snarkiness now with the press because, again, a lot of them are more focused about getting their clip on air than they are of actually taking the time to understand an issue." [LifeZette, 6/21/17]

Trump Attacked NBC And “Fake News” At Iowa Rally. During his June 21 rally in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Trump called NBC News “this phony NBC television network” for its coverage of the Georgia congressional special election. He also attacked “the fake news.” [Media Matters, 6/21/17; The New York Times, 6/21/17]

Conway: Media “Have This Russian Concussion” And Are Unable To Report On What Americans Want. Conway claimed that media “have this Russian concussion” and don’t focus on what “is important to” Americans. From the June 21 edition of Fox News’ Hannity:

KELLYANNE CONWAY: During the campaign I used to say that there’s this total disconnect between what Americans are telling us is important to them, and and what they’re being told is important to them. And I see it again now that he's president. The media and the Democrats have this Russian concussion and they’ve lost, like, muscle memory to be able to function in any other way to talk about anything he's doing. [Fox News, Hannity, 6/21/17]

June 22

Huckabee Sanders Questioned Media’s Use Of Anonymous Sources In Response To Press Briefing Criticism.

[Twitter, 6/22/17]

June 25

Spicer: “I Think Some Of These Reporters Are More Interested In Their YouTube Clips Than They Are In Getting Factual News.” Spicer dismissed criticism by CNN’s Jim Acosta over his ban on media outlets from airing White House press briefings by claiming some reporters just want “YouTube clips” instead of answers to their questions. He also questioned whether reporting based on anonymous sources is genuine. From the June 25 edition of Fox News’ MediaBuzz:

HOWARD KURTZ (HOST): And speaking of CNN, correspondent Jim Acosta -- who you’ve tangled with a few times -- said that -- he’s gone on a kind of campaign against you. He said the briefings are now kind of useless, the White House is stonewalling, why should reporters bother attending?

SEAN SPICER: Well it's sad that if he believes that if it doesn't occur on TV -- I think some of these reporters are more interested in their YouTube clips than they are in getting factual news. You look at the number of questions that get asked over and over again just so a reporter can get a clip of themselves saying something or yelling at someone. That’s not --

KURTZ: So the camera makes it repetitive.

SPICER: I think it not only makes it repetitive, but again, there’s a mix. I think the cameras are fine and there’s an opportunity to have that. But I think you can equally -- on days when the president’s speaking, have an off-camera briefing where you have a substantive engagement on policy issues. But to suggest if somehow it's not on television -- it's somewhat nonsensical. Many of these reporters use anonymous sources and write up things, and yet I can make an equal argument that that doesn’t sound like news to me. We engage with the press corps very robustly from early in the morning to late at night. The briefing is one small part of what this extensive staff does to engage with the media. [Fox News, MediaBuzz, 6/25/17]

June 27

Trump Wrote Several Tweets Bashing CNN For Retracted Russia Investigation Story And Attacked Broadcast Networks And Major Newspapers As “Fake News.” After CNN published and then retracted a story about a Trump official's links to a Russian investment fund -- where three employees responsible for the story later resigned -- Trump wrote or retweeted several tweets lambasting CNN over the incident, also writing that the broadcast news networks, The New York Times, and The Washington Post are “all Fake News”:

[CNN.com, 6/26/17; Twitter, 6/27/17, 6/27/17, 6/27/17, 6/27/17]

Huckabee Sanders Attacked CNN For Retracted Report And Encouraged Reporters To View Conservative Activist’s Smear Video Of CNN. Huckabee Sanders attacked CNN for its retracted report and complained about “the constant barrage of fake news” directed at Trump, claiming that CNN has been “repeatedly wrong” on other stories, and urging reporters to view a smear video by disgraced conservative activist James O’Keefe that targeted CNN. From the June 27 press briefing:

CHARLIE SPIERING: Recently, Breitbart News challenged the accuracy of a CNN story, and afterwards it was retracted, deleted, and the editors responsible were fired, as well as the network apologized for the story. The target of this -- one of the targets of the story accepted the apology. The President went on Twitter this morning and repeated that CNN was fake news. Why isn’t their response good enough for the President?

SARAH HUCKABEE SANDERS: I don’t know that it’s that the response isn’t good enough for the President. I think it’s the constant barrage of fake news directed at this President probably that has garnered a lot of his frustration. You point to that report; there are multiple other instances where that outlet that you referenced has been repeatedly wrong and had to point that out or be corrected.

There’s a video circulating now, whether it’s accurate or not I don’t know, but I would encourage everybody in this room, and, frankly, everybody across the country to take a look at it. I think if it is accurate, I think it’s a disgrace to all of media, to all of journalism. I think that we have gone to a place where if the media can’t be trusted to report the news, then that’s a dangerous place for America. And I think if that is the place that certain outlets are going, particularly for the purpose of spiking ratings, and if that’s coming directly from the top, I think that’s even more scary and certainly more disgraceful. And I hope that that’s not the direction we’re headed. I hope that outlets that have continued to use either unnamed sources, sometimes stories with no sources at all. We’ve been going on this Russia-Trump hoax for the better part of a year now with no evidence of anything.

Things like the success at the VA barely get covered. They may get covered for an hour at a time, but this story gets covered day in, day out. And I think America is, frankly, looking for something better. They’re looking for something more. And I think they deserve something better from our news media. [White House press briefing, 6/27/17; Media Matters, 6/27/17]

Huckabee Sanders Continued Bashing Press After Getting Called Out For “Inflaming Everybody” With The Administration’s Constant Attacks On The Media. Brian Karem, executive editor of The Sentinel Newspapers, called out Huckabee Sanders for being “inflammatory to people all over the country” by attacked the press. She retorted that “it’s the dishonesty that often takes place by the news media” that’s being “inflamed.” From the June 27 press briefing:

SARAH HUCKABEE SANDERS: And all we’re saying is I think that we should take a really good look at what we are focused on, what we are covering and making sure that it’s actually accurate and it’s honest. If we make the slightest mistake, the slightest word is off, it is just an absolute tirade from a lot of people in this room. But news outlets get to go on day after day and cite unnamed sources, use stories without sources, have -- you mentioned the [Anthony] Scaramucci [CNN] story where they had to have reporters resign.

BRIAN KAREM: Sarah, that’s -- come on. You’re inflaming everybody right here and right now with those words. This administration has done that as well. Why in the name of heavens -- any one of us, right, are replaceable, and any one of us, if we don’t get it right, the audience has the opportunity to turn the channel or not read us. You have been elected to serve for four years at least. There’s no option other than that. We’re here to ask you questions, you’re here to provide the answers, and what you just did is inflammatory to people all over the country who look at it and say, “See, once again, the President is right and everybody else out here is fake media.” And everybody in this room is only trying to do their job.

HUCKABEE SANDERS: Well, I just -- I disagree completely. First of all, I think if anything has been inflamed, it’s the dishonesty that often takes place by the news media. And I think it is outrageous for you to accuse me of inflaming a story when I was simply trying to respond to his question. [White House press briefing, 6/27/17]

Trump Made Sexist Remark About Irish Reporter While On The Phone With Ireland’s Prime Minister. As Trump was being videotaped on a phone call with Ireland’s new prime minister, he called RTÉ News reporter Caitriona Perry to his side and commented into the phone, “she has a nice smile on her face so I bet she treats you well.” [BBC News, 6/28/17]

June 28

Trump Accused “The Failing” New York Times Of Writing A “False Story” About His Involvement In Republicans’ Health Care Effort. After The New York Times published an article with the headline “On Senate Health Bill, Trump Falters in the Closer’s Role,” Trump lashed out at the “failing” newspaper on Twitter, accusing it of writing a “false story” about him. One of the article’s writers, White House correspondent Glenn Thrush, replied to Trump on Twitter, writing that the newspaper “spoke to many, many, many members of your staff” and “ran everything by your team.”

[The New York Times, 6/27/17; Twitter, 6/28/17, 6/28/17, 6/28/17]

Trump: “The #AmazonWashingtonPost, Sometimes Referred To As The Guardian Of Amazon Not Paying Internet Taxes (Which They Should) Is FAKE NEWS!”

[Twitter, 6/28/17]

White House Barred Reporters From Trump Fundraiser After Originally Telling Them They Would Be Allowed To Cover It. CNN reported that the White House announced that Trump’s June 29 fundraiser at his Washington, D.C., hotel would be covered by the White House press pool, but then barred them two hours later, citing “logistical challenges bringing in the press.” The CNN story noted that preventing reporters from covering the event was “a break from past precedent.” [CNN.com, 6/29/17]

Trump Reportedly Was “Ripping Into CNN” During Closed Fundraiser Remarks. Trump reportedly was “ripping into CNN” in remarks he delivered at his re-election fundraiser, which media were banned from covering, according to Politico. From the June 28 article:

Speaking for about 30 minutes at the closed-door event, according to two people present, the president continued to bash a favorite target — the media, and, in particular, CNN. Trump derided the network for errors and presented himself as a victim of its reporting, which he described as deeply unfair. At one point, the president turned his fire on one of the network’s liberal commentators, Van Jones. [Politico, 6/28/17]

June 29

Scavino: “#DumbAsARockMika [Brzezinski] and lover #JealousJoe [Scarborough] Are Lost, Confused & Saddened Since” Trump “Stopped Returning Their Calls! Unhinged.”

[Twitter, 6/29/17]

Trump: “I.Q. Crazy Mika” Brzezinski And “Psycho Joe” Scarborough “Insisted On Joining Me” At Mar-A-Lago While Brzezinski “Was Bleeding Badly From A Face-Lift.” A little more than 30 minutes after Scavino attacked the MSNBC hosts on Twitter, Trump tweeted that he turned “I.Q. Crazy” Brzezinski and "Psycho Joe" Scarborough away from a New Year’s Eve Mar-a-Lago party, and claimed that Brzezinski "was bleeding badly from a face-lift.” According to a CNN report, Trump’s claim was false.

[Twitter, 6/29/17, 6/29/17; CNN.com, 6/29/17]

Huckabee Sanders Justified Trump’s Attack On Brzezinski’s Appearance And Blamed Media For Press Briefing Restrictions. Huckabee Sanders justified Trump’s attack on Brzezinski’s appearance stating "I don't think the president's ever been someone who gets attacked and doesn't push back," adding he was someone who “fights fire with fire.” Huckabee Sanders also defended the Trump administration’s restrictions on the daily White House press briefings, claiming “the behavior of the press corps” is better when cameras are off. From the June 29 edition of Fox News’ America’s Newsroom:

BILL HEMMER (CO-HOST): What is the White House saying about why that went out?

SARAH HUCKABEE SANDERS: Look, I don't think that the president's ever been someone who gets attacked and doesn't push back. There have been an outrageous number of personal attacks, not just to him but to frankly everyone around him. Please on that show have personally attack me many times. This is a president who fights fire with fire and certainly will not be allowed to be bullied by liberal media and the liberal elites within the media or Hollywood or anywhere else.

HEMMER: I get it but is -- is that necessary?

HUCKABEE SANDERS: Look, I think what's necessary is to push back against unnecessary attacks on the president both personally. I’ve seen far worse things come out of that show. Again, directed not just at the president but everyone around him, personal attacks, mean, hateful attacks. And again, this president isn’t going to sit back and not push back and he’s going to fight fire with fire and I think that's exactly what he just said.

HEMMER: I’ve heard that from you and I’ve heard that from him. But it seems like it is entirely more personal than it needs to be. And I'm wondering if you want to address that.

HUCKABEE SANDERS: I think I have addressed that as much as I can in terms of the president. Again, isn't going to be somebody who’s bullied and allows people, himself, and those around him to be personally attacked.

HEMMER: And he would argue that he’s always going to punch back and he’s not going to fire the first shot and perhaps he feels the criticism toward him is unwarranted. But going to this --

HUCKABEE SANDERS: I mean the outrageous attacks that take place on that show, day in, day out, not just at the president, and not against his policies, not against things that he’s pushing, but they’re personal and they’re not just directed at him, but again, everyone around them. I’ve been called a lot of names on that show that don't have anything to do with my beliefs or ideology or policy, but they’re personal attacks.

[...]

HEMMER: We’re about to do a segment in a moment with the argument that some former press secretaries, Republican and Democrat alike, are arguing now that the press briefings have become a public slow. First of all, do you think that's the case?

HUCKABEE SANDERS: I think oftentimes given that I’ve seen the difference between the behavior of the press corps, whether it's on camera and off camera, the temperature, the tone definitely comes way down. I think off camera briefings tend to have a lot more substance than on camera. Because it does become more about theatrics and the show and the yelling and the gotcha questions. And so I do think that there is a great point and a great part of being able to have a mix of doing both on and off camera. [Fox News, America’s Newsroom, 6/29/17]

Trump Called CNN “Fake News” During Speech At Department Of Energy. During a speech on his energy proposals, Trump called CNN “fake news” for suggesting that the U.S. “could only solve this energy crisis by imposing draconian restrictions on energy production”:

DONALD TRUMP: Americans were told that our nation could only solve this energy crisis by imposing draconian restrictions on energy production. But we now know that was all a big, beautiful myth. It was fake. Don’t we love that term, "fake"? What we’ve learned about fake over the last little while -- fake news, CNN. Fake. [CNN, CNN Newsroom, 6/29/17]

Huckabee Sanders Continued Justifying Trump’s Attack On Brzezinski During Daily Press Briefing. Huckabee Sanders repeatedly defended Trump’s tweets attacking Mika Brzezinski’s appearance during the daily White House press briefing, stating that Trump has “been very clear that when he gets attacked he’s going to hit back,” and claiming that Trump “was simply pushing back and defending himself” from the hosts' criticism. [WhiteHouse.gov, 6/29/17]

June 30

Morning Joe Hosts Alleged Trump Attempted To Blackmail Them With A National Enquirer Story. MSNBC hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski alleged that “this year, top White House staff members warned that the National Enquirer was planning to publish a negative article about us unless we begged the president to have the story spiked.” [Media Matters, 6/30/17]

In Response To Morning Joe Hosts Claim, Trump Called The Show "Low Rated" And “FAKE NEWS.”

[Twitter, 6/30/17]

Conway: Media Coverage Discussing Trump’s Fitness For Office Is “Neither Productive Nor Patriotic.” In an interview on ABC’s Good Morning America, Conway defended Trump’s sexist attack against MSNBC’s Mika Brzezinski on Twitter by claiming “there are personal attacks about his physicalities, about his fitness for office” by media figures, and adding, “It doesn’t help the American people to have a president covered in this light … it’s neither productive nor patriotic” for Trump to be covered that way. [Politico, 6/30/17]

July 2017

July 1

Trump Alleged Greta Van Susteren Was “Let Go” From MSNBC “Because She Refused To Go Along W/ ‘Trump Hate’” From Her “Out Of Control Bosses."

[Twitter, 7/1/17]

Trump: “Crazy Joe Scarborough And Dumb As A Rock Mika Are Not Bad People, But Their Low Rated Show Is Dominated By Their NBC Bosses.”

[Twitter, 7/1/17]

Trump Claimed The “FAKE & FRAUDULENT NEWS MEDIA” Are Trying To Convince Republicans He Shouldn’t Use” Social Media.

[Twitter, 7/1/17, 7/1/17]

Trump: “I Am Thinking About Changing The Name #FakeNews CNN To #FraudNewsCNN!”

[Twitter, 7/1/17]

Trump: “The Fake Media Tried To Stop Us From Going To The White House, But I’m President And They’re Not.” Trump lashed out at the press during a rally at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., telling the crowd “the press has destroyed themselves because they went too far.” He added, “Instead of being subtle and smart, they use the hatchet.” From the July 1 speech:

DONALD TRUMP: The fake media is trying to silence us, but we will not let them, because the people know the truth. The fake media tried to stop us from going to the White House, but I'm president and they're not.

We won and they lost. The fact is the press has destroyed themselves because they went too far. Instead of being subtle and smart, they use the hatchet and the people saw it right from the beginning. The dishonest media will never keep us from accomplishing our objectives. On behalf of our great American people, will never happen. Their agenda is not your agenda. You've been saying that. [YouTube, 7/1/17]

July 2

Trump Tweeted Video Of Him Knocking Over Person With CNN Logo Imposed On Face.

[Twitter, 7/2/17]

Trump: “The Dishonest Media Will NEVER Keep Us From Accomplishing Our Objectives On Behalf Of Our GREAT AMERICAN PEOPLE!” Trump posted a video clip of his July 1 speech where he attacked the media. The tweet had a caption reading “The FAKE MEDIA is trying to silence us”:

[Twitter, 7/2/17]

July 3

Trump: “At Some Point The Fake News Will Be Forced To Discuss Our Great Jobs Numbers, Strong Economy, Success With ISIS, The Border & So Much Else!”

[Twitter, 7/3/17]

Trump Complained Media Aren’t Covering Stock Market Numbers. Trumped asked in a tweet whether “Fake News Media” would report on the “Dow hit[ting] a new intraday all-time high,” then retweeted a supporter who claimed that the media reported stock market highs under Obama, but don’t under Trump:

[Twitter, 7/3/17, 7/3/17]

July 5

NY Times Reported “White House Advisers Have Discussed” Using Merger Between Time Warner And AT&T As "Leverage" Against CNN. A July 5 New York Times article on Trump’s attacks on CNN reported that “White House advisers have discussed a potential point of leverage over their adversary, a senior administration official said: a pending merger between CNN’s parent company, Time Warner, and AT&T. Mr. Trump’s Justice Department will decide whether to approve the merger, and while analysts say there is little to stop the deal from moving forward, the president’s animus toward CNN remains a wild card.” [The New York Times, 7/5/17]

July 6

Trump Complained About CNN And NBC Coverage During Visit To Poland. At a press conference in Warsaw, Poland, Trump replied to a question about his attacks against CNN by saying CNN has been “fake news for a long time” and that “NBC is equally as bad”:

DONALD TRUMP: I think what CNN did was unfortunate for them, as you know now they have some pretty serious problems. They have been fake news for a long time. They have been covering me in a very, very dishonest way. Do you have that also, by the way, Mr. President? With CNN and others, I mean, and others. NBC is equally as bad despite the fact that I made them a fortune with The Apprentice, but they forgot that. But, I will say that CNN has really taken it too seriously and I think they've hurt themselves very badly, very, very badly. And, what we want to see in the United States is honest, beautiful, free, but honest press. We want to see fair press. I think it's a very important thing. We don't want fake news. And, by the way, not everybody is fake news. But we don't want fake news. Bad thing. Very bad for our country. [Media Matters, 7/6/17]

July 7

Trump: “Fake News Media Will Never Cover Me Accurately.”

[Twitter, 7/7/17]

July 8

Trump Tweeted In Support Of Anti-Press Polish President: “We Will Fight The #FakeNews With You!” After Polish President Andrzej Duda tweeted “Let’s FIGHT FAKE NEWS” with a clarification of a handshake between his wife and Trump, Trump quoted Duda’s tweet and added, “We will fight the #FakeNews with you!” The Washington Post has reported that Duda has "been accused of trying to suppress his country's media outlets," and that press freedom organization Freedom House has said the current Polish government is trying to “stifle the media and limit dissent and debate within the country.”

[Twitter, 7/8/17; The Washington Post, 7/8/17]

July 9

Trump Derided Media As “Fake News” In Series Of Tweets About His Meeting With Putin At G20.

[Twitter, 7/9/17]

July 10

Trump Tweeted “Fake News” Media Would Be Supportive If Chelsea Clinton Sat In On Meetings For Hillary Clinton. Following criticism of Ivanka Trump sitting in for her father during a G20 meeting, Trump declared “Fake News” media “would say CHELSEA FOR PRES” if she had sat in on a meeting for her mother.

[Twitter, 7/10/17; The Washington Post, 7/10/17]

Conway Mocked CNN’s Credibility During Contentious Interview. In an interview on CNN’s New Day, described by The Daily Beast as a “neverending trainwreck,” Conway questioned CNN’s credibility and “tried to act as assignment editor for CNN,” saying the “network should spend more time covering Trump‘s positive deeds.” From The Daily Beast’s recap of the interview:

Monday morning’s CNN New Day interview with White House counselor Kellyanne Conway was anything but a typical interview.

What was originally supposed to be an 18-minute interview—about the revelation that Donald Trump Jr. was offered damaging information about Hillary Clinton in advance of meeting a Kremlin-tied lawyer during the 2016 campaign—became a 36-minute amalgam of deflections, half-truths, and a courtroom-like spinning of the topic at hand.

[...]

When the subject immediately turned to Trump Jr.’s supposedly unfruitful meeting with a Russian operative, Conway refused to discuss it. At times, her diversions consisted of snarking at CNN host Chris Cuomo (“I admire your moxie, sitting there with the CNN chyron right near you talking about credibility issues”), acting out her own version of A Few Good Men (“If we were in court, your side would not even survive a motion to dismiss because you’ve got nothing”), or attempting to change the subject (“Let’s focus on what did not happen in that meeting”).

[...]

Conway later tried to act as assignment editor for CNN, telling Cuomo his network should spend more time covering Trump‘s positive deeds—from the ceasefire, to his plan to have a plan on infrastructure, to his extension of a bill allowing veterans the choice to seek private medical care.

“We had the VA secretary [on CNN],” Cuomo noted, before declaring, “My conscience is clean. My mission is clear. What I do, I cover what I think matters to people. I test power and I take the consequences every damn day. And that's not going to change.”

Another effort to bring the chat back to the president’s son resulted in a frustrating five-minute exchange that involved Conway’s thoughts on Hillary Clinton, her belief that the Trump Jr.-Russia meeting “doesn’t matter,” and—once again—that CNN’s Trump coverage ignores his health care and infrastructure plans.

“Where is infrastructure?” she asked Cuomo.

“You tell me,” he answered. “Where is it? Where is your infrastructure plan, your tax policy plan? As soon as they come out, we’ll discuss them.” [The Daily Beast, 7/10/17]

July 11

Trump Reportedly Complained That “Failing New York Times” Was “So Unfair” To Him During Campaign. New York Times Magazine correspondent Mark Leibovich recounted a meeting he had with Trump in early June, where the president “pointed out that ‘you treated me very badly’ during the campaign, and that the ‘failing New York Times’ had been ‘so unfair’ to him.” [The New York Times Magazine, 7/11/17]

Gorka Repeatedly Denigrated CNN During Interview On New Day. After being asked on CNN’s New Day about The New York Times reporting that Donald Trump Jr. and other Trump campaign officials met with a Kremlin-linked lawyer to try to obtain damaging information on Hillary Clinton in June 2016, Gorka cited the previous day’s segment with Conway and repeatedly denigrated CNN as “fake news,” mocked its ratings, and said to co-host Alisyn Camerota, “we’d like you to actually do your job. You aren't in the news business anymore. You used to be. You are in the attacking President Trump business. And it's sad. It's really sad.” [CNN New Day, 7/11/17]

In MSNBC Interview, Gorka Dismissed CNN, MSNBC, NY Times, And Wash. Post As “The Fake News Media.” According to Mediaite, Gora dismissed news organizations as “the fake news media” in an interview with MSNBC’s Stephanie Ruhle. From the July 11 article:

Gorka then moved on to illegal leaks from the administration and intelligence agencies, bashing Ruhle and her “colleagues in the fake news media, CNN and MSNBC, The New York Times and Washington Post” for failing to find “one piece of felonious evidence.” [Mediaite, 7/11/17]

July 12

Trump: “Remember, When You Hear The Words ‘Sources Say’ From The Fake Media, Often Times Those Sources Are Made Up And Do Not Exist.”

[Twitter, 7/12/17]

Trump Told CBN’s Pat Robertson He’s Giving Him An Interview “Because I’m Treated Very Unfairly By The Press.” Near the end of an interview on CBN’s The 700 Club recorded on July 12 at the White House, Trump complained about media not covering positive economic news, saying, “That's why I do interviews with you. You have a tremendous audience. You have people that I love. The evangelicals -- and sometimes you say the evangelical Christians, but I do a lot of interviews with people because I can get the word out, because I'm treated very unfairly by the press.” [Christian Broadcasting Network, The 700 Club, 7/12/17]

Huckabee Sanders: Continued Reporting On Trump Scandals Is “Undermining The Credibility Of The Media.” During the July 12 press briefing, Huckabee Sanders declared that media reporting on Russia-related scandals in the Trump administration is “undermining the credibility of the media.” From the briefing:

Q   Sarah, I want to ask you, the drip, drip, drip is undermining the credibility of this administration. Do you perceive that?

MS. SANDERS: I think it’s actually undermining the credibility of the media because they drip, drip, drip a lot of things that don't seem to have much to -- much ado about nothing. [WhiteHouse.gov, 7/12/17]

Gorka Repeatedly Insulted CNN In Anderson Cooper Interview And Cited “Fake News Industrial Complex” For Continuing Russia Collusion Stories. Appearing on CNN, Gorka immediately began dismissing CNN’s reporting as “fake news,” and claimed “the fake news industrial complex” is the only thing keeping the Trump campaign’s possible collusion with Russia alive as a story. From the July 12 edition of CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360:

ANDERSON COOPER (HOST): I do want to start off with what Dana and others are reporting. The president has had four days now without an event on his public schedule. You’ve heard the reporting that there’s a bunker mode in parts of the White House since the news of Donald Trump Jr. broke. I want you to be able to comment on that.

SEBASTIAN GORKA: Oh absolutely. It's laughable. Your chyron talked about a crisis. Your reporter talked about a bunker mentality. I actually work in the West Wing, I work in the White House. It is absolutely nothing of the kind. We are pushing the make America great again agenda. The president is a steam locomotive that will not be stopped. It's just fake news. I'm sad to see CNN fall to this. I know you want salacious, sensational coverage for your ratings, so your corporate sponsors and owners will have more money. But that's not media, that’s not reportage. It's just fake news.

COOPER: OK. I'm just going to ignore the insults, because I don't think it really gets us anywhere.

GORKA: It's not about you, it’s about actually having journalism back on TV. Where are the Walter Cronkites of yesteryear? This is just about ratings and money. It's actually quite sad.

[...]

GORKA: The story only has legs because the fake news industrial complex is obsessed. Nine months of accusations with zero, zero evidence of anything illegal. [CNN, Anderson Cooper 360, 7/12/17]

Conway Trashed Media’s Approval Ratings. In an appearance on Fox News’ Hannity on July 12, Conway, during a discussion of media coverage of the Trump campaign’s possible collusion with Russia, asked, “Have you seen the approval ratings of the media lately?” She hastened to congratulate Hannity on his ratings, since he has carried the Trump administration’s water throughout all the Russia coverage, and said “thank you for talking about America so often” after complaining that other media outlets cover Russia-Trump stories so much. [Fox News, Hannity, 7/12/17]

July 13

Trump Broke Press Norm By Calling On Foreign Journalist Instead Of An American At Paris Joint Presser. CNN reported that Trump violated a long-standing norm of joint press conferences with foreign leaders by denying a question to an American journalist during a press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris. From the July 13 article:

President Trump called on a non-American journalist during Thursday's joint press conference with the President of France, breaking with protocol and denying American journalists a rare opportunity to ask a question of their president.

After French President Emmanuel Macron called for a final question from an "American journalist," President Trump instead called on a man who identified himself as a journalist from "Phoenix TV of China."

Joint press conferences that U.S. presidents hold with foreign leaders traditionally include two questions from journalists of the host nation (in this case, France) and two questions from journalists of the visiting nation (in this case, the United States).

"Seems like a clear violation of protocol for this question not to go to an American journalist," Jonathan Lemire, a White House reporter for the Associated Press, tweeted.

Asked for comment about the President choosing to call on a non-American reporter, Deputy White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told CNNMoney, "Like the members of the White House Press Corps, The President wants a free press and he can call on any reporter he chooses." [CNN.com, 7/13/17]

July 14

Gorka Declared Himself “The President’s Pit Bull” Against The “Fake News Industrial Complex.” After Sean Hannity praised Gorka for his repeated criticisms of news organizations in previous days, Gorka said CNN and MSNBC “have a credibility crisis” and said he’s willing to be “the president’s pit bull” against what he called “fake news industrial complex.” From the July 14 edition of Fox News’ Hannity:

SEAN HANNITY (HOST): All right, a Gorka beat-down. Joining us now, the man himself, the deputy assistant to the president, Dr. Sebastian Gorka. I just want to point out, factually, 50-year reruns of Yogi Bear, 25-plus year reruns of Full House are what's on at "Nick at Night" that is beating CNN. So you are factually correct. And you took it to them. And I'm glad you did. Why did you decide to do it?

SEBASTIAN GORKA: Because sooner or later somebody has to push back. We’ve got beautiful, intelligent women like Kellyanne. We've got brave professionals like Sean Spicer. Somebody has to be the president's pit bull. And I'm ready. I'm going to take it to them.

They had a reputation -- Sean, they had a reputation. CNN in the warzones, MSNBC. It's gone like a puff of smoke. They have a credibility crisis. Think about what they're doing. They've been in this collusion delusion for nine months, not one piece of illegal evidence of any illegal activity, and they spin and they spin. They're tanking. Somebody has to make them wake up, and I'm glad to help them.

HANNITY: Listen, it's something we do on this program almost every night. And we're giving news and information that I argue you really can't get anywhere else. And I even watched about eight minutes last night of a CNN program. It was so shallow, so bitterly partisan, so absolutely factually inaccurate that I couldn't take it anymore. And I tweeted it out, and people wrote, “Why did you waste eight minutes of your life? We know it's fake news.”

[...]

GORKA: Sean, they've made a decision. My White House colleague, Andy Surabian, he coined the phrase last week, the fake news industrial complex. There's two ways to be successful in your business, Sean. One way is to go after the ratings with sensationalism, with lies, lies about Tony Scaramucci, lies about what Mueller is going to testify. Just spin, spin, spin so you make more money. [Fox News, Hannity, 7/14/17]

July 16

Trump: “HillaryClinton Can Illegally Get The Questions To The Debate & Delete 33,000 Emails But My Son Don Is Being Scorned By The Fake News Media?”

[Twitter, 7/16/17]

Trump: “With All Of Its Phony Unnamed Sources & Highly Slanted & Even Fraudulent Reporting, #Fake News Is DISTORTING DEMOCRACY In Our Country!”

[Twitter, 7/16/17]

Trump Administration Reportedly Tried To Get Politico Reporter Removed From White House Correspondents Association And Asked Its Head To Condemn Her Reporting. Mediaite reported that on CNN’s Reliable Sources, White House Correspondents Association head Jeff Mason identified Politico reporter Tara Palmeri as the reporter that the Trump administration asked him to criticize over a report it was upset with. Palmeri later said, “Well, I’m not surprised because I had heard from my editor that they had threatened to try to remove me from the White House Correspondents Association, which they don’t have power to do.” [Mediaite, 7/16/17]

July 17

Gorka Likened CNN To Soviet Union State-Run Press, But Even Worse. Gorka criticized the news organizations CNN and MSNBC, comparing CNN to old Soviet Union press organizations like Pravda but saying that CNN was even worse. From the July 17 edition of Premiere Radio Network’s The Sean Hannity Show:

SEBASTIAN GORKA: It’s truly become an obsession, it really, really has. And as we discussed earlier, there’s two ways to do what you do, to be in the news business. One is to be committed to the truth. You are proud of your conservative views and you’re open about them, but you actually are focused on the truth. Whether it’s about ISIS, Fast & Furious, the IRS scandal, Benghazi. And the other one, sadly, is the one that MSNBC, CNN have fallen into, which is, “We’re just going to go after the ratings. The ratings make our sponsors and our corporate owners happy, and if it means lying, if it means spinning, if it means make literally making things up,” such as the Scaramucci story, “then we will do it.” And at the same time, and this is the real kicker Sean, we’re going to say that we’re bipartisan and independent.

[...]

GORKA: Think about what we’ve sunken to, or what certain elements of the mainstream media have sunken to. If you just look at the figure, again -- this is just fact, this is Harvard University -- more than 90 percent of the coverage of organs like CNN is about attacking the president. More than 90 percent. Not even the Soviet Union’s media was that bad. If you look at the minutes, if you look at how much in the 42-minute hour section CNN devotes to Russia, they talk more about Russia than America, Sean. That’s wrong. That’s what Pravda did. That’s what Izvestia did when they were the Soviet Union’s press organ. [Premiere Radio Networks, The Sean Hannity Show, 7/17/17]

July 18

Trump Fundraising Email: “The Fake News Media Is The Real Opposition.” CNN senior media correspondent Brian Stelter reported that the Trump campaign was fundraising off the “fake news media” in a fundraising email.

[Twitter, 7/18/17]

Trump: “Fake News” Reporting His Meeting With Putin At G-20 Dinner Is “Sick,” “The Fake News Is Becoming More And More Dishonest!”

[Twitter, 7/18/17, 7/18/17]

July 19

Gorka: CNN Has “Created A Crisis Of Credibility For Their Own Lack Of News.” During an appearance on the July 19 edition of Fox News’ Hannity, Gorka again criticized CNN, claiming the news organization “created a crisis of credibility for their own lack of news.” He also said he would go back on CNN “when they want to talk about real news.” [Fox News, Hannity, 7/19/17]

July 21

Incoming White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci Refused To Commit To Regular On-Camera Press Briefings. During the first on-camera press briefing in over three weeks, incoming White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci refused to commit to allowing cameras during press briefings, saying he had to consult with Trump about that first. Scaramucci also claimed “there feels like there’s a little bit of media bias” against the Trump administration. [Media Matters, 7/21/17]

Trump Campaign Text: “TRUMP: ‘FAKE NEWS Is The REAL Opposition.” BuzzFeed reporter Dominic Holden tweeted an apparent Trump campaign text message partially quoting Trump declaring “FAKE NEWS is the REAL opposition.”

Trump text sent out during the WH press briefing pic.twitter.com/IUU0zBrnlP

— Dominic Holden (@dominicholden) July 21, 2017

[Twitter, 7/21/17]

Gorka Referred To White House Press Corps As “Fake News Representatives.” On Fox News' The Fox News Specialists, Gorka explained why he wouldn’t want to work as the White House press secretary, saying, “The idea that I'm supposed to be telepathically linked to somebody else and to stand in that room for a fist fight with fake news representatives, not interested.” [Fox News, The Fox News Specialists, 7/21/17]

Trump Tweet On Spicer’s Resignation: “Sean Spicer Is A Wonderful Person Who Took Tremendous Abuse From The Fake News Media.”

[Twitter, 7/21/17]

Spicer Disparaged White House Press Corps During Hannity Interview. During an interview on Fox’s Hannity after his eventual resignation as press secretary was announced, Spicer accused the White House press corps of not doing their jobs, and said many reporters have “a very clickbait mentality … where they're more interested in their clip or their click than they are about the truth and the facts.” He later said that many White House reporters are “not there for the facts and the pursuit of the truth. Rather, they are trying to figure out, How do I get on TV, how do I become a YouTube star? And that's disappointing.” [Fox News, Hannity, 7/21/17]

July 22

Trump Decried “New INTELLIGENCE LEAK From The Amazon Washington Post,” Declared “These Illegal Leaks, Like Comey’s, Must Stop!”

[Twitter, 7/22/17]

Trump Accused The New York Times Of Foiling US Attempt To Kill ISIS Leader. In a tweet, Trump suggested, “The Failing New York Times foiled U.S. attempt to kill” the leader of ISIS, claiming the paper chose its “sick agenda over National Security.” Trump’s tweet came moments after Fox & Friends Saturday hyped the same claim. As The Washington Post’s Erik Wemple pointed out, the raid “was announced by the Penatgon .... via press release” before it occurred. The Times wrote a letter to Fox & Friends asking for an “on-air apology and tweet.”

[Twitter, 7/22/17; The Washington Post, 7/23/17]

Trump Exclaimed “FAKE NEWS” In Tweet About President’s “Complete Power To Pardon.” After The Washington Post reported on July 21 that “Trump has asked his advisers about his power to pardon aides, family members and even himself in connection with” special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation, Trump tweeted, “why think of that when only crime so far is LEAKS again us,” adding, “FAKE NEWS.”

[The Washington Post, 7/21/17; Twitter, 7/22/17]

Conway: Media Are Suffering From “Russian Concussion.”

Now compare this to % of media coverage for each issue. Russian Concussion. https://t.co/6mbm1o8dg6

— Kellyanne Conway (@KellyannePolls) July 22, 2017

[Twitter, 7/22/17]

Conway: “This Is A Media That Has Decided It’s Going To Be Very Hostile.” In an interview on Fox’s Justice with Judge Jeanine, Conway argued in favor of Anthony Scaramuuci’s appointment as White House communications director by saying “we’re going to go out there and play offense,” because the media “has decided it’s going to be very hostile and stop every chance it gets -- just wear a stop sign constantly when we try to get our message out.” [Fox News, Justice with Judge Jeanine, 7/22/17]

July 23

Scaramucci: “There Is Some Fake News” About Trump Being Produced By News Organizations. In an interview on Fox News Sunday, incoming White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci was asked by host Chris Wallace: “Do you believe that the mainstream media deliberately puts out fake news about this president?” Scaramucci replied “there is some fake news, unfortunately,” declining to name any journalists or outlets, but saying, “there are specific individuals that do stretch stories or do fabricate things.” [Fox Broadcasting Co., Fox News Sunday, 7/23/17]

Conway Accused CNN Of Making A “Business Decision” To Be “Incredibly Unfair And Systematically Against” Trump. Conway attacked CNN at the beginning of an interview on CNN’s Reliable Sources, accusing the network of being “incredibly unfair and systematically against this president.” She added, “I guess you made a business decision to do so.” [Washington Examiner, 7/23/17]

Trump: “It’s Hard To Read The Failing New York Times Or The Amazon Washington Post Because Every Story/Opinion, Even If It Should Be Positive, Is Bad!”

[Twitter, 7/23/17]

July 24

Trump: “Drain The Swamp Should Be Changed To Drain The Sewer -- It’s Actually Much Worse Than Anyone Ever Thought, And It Begins With The Fake News!”

[Twitter, 7/24/17]

Trump To Reporter Who Asked A Question About Health Care During Photo Opportunity: “Quiet.” When asked about health care during a photo session, Trump responded by simply telling the reporter “quiet.” [Twitter, 7/24/17]

Gorka: “The #FAKENEWSindustrialComplex’s Collusion Delusion Has Led To ‘Russian Concussion.’”

[Twitter, 7/24/17]

Gorka Described The Media’s Russia Coverage As “The Obsessive Phantasmagorical Obsession Of The Media.” In an interview on MSNBC’s The Beat with Ari Melber, Gorka dismissed media coverage of the various Russia investigations as “the obsessive phantasmagorical obsession of the media.” He later referred to the media as “the fake news industrial complex.” [MSNBC, The Beat with Ari Melber, 7/24/17]

Trump Referred To The Media As “Fake Media” And “Fake News” In A Speech At The National Scout Jamboree. Trump politicized his speech to the annual gathering of Boy Scouts, complaining about “fake media” and “fake news” during the speech:

THE PRESIDENT: By the way, what do you think the chances are that this incredible, massive crowd, record-setting is going to be shown on television tonight?  One percent or zero?  (Applause.)

The fake media will say:  President Trump -- and you know what this is -- President Trump spoke before a small crowd of Boy Scouts today.

That's some -- that is some crowd.  (Applause.)  

Fake media.  Fake news.  Thank you.  And I’m honored by that, by the way, all of you people they can't even see you.  So thank you.  I hope you can hear. [WhiteHouse.gov, 7/24/17]

Trump Repeatedly Attacked “Fake News Washington Post" In Series Of Tweets.

[Twitter, 7/24/17; 7/24/17; 7/24/17]

July 25

Trump: The Washington Post Doesn’t Write “Truthful” Stories. In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Trump complained about a Washington Post story on ending arms shipments to rebels in Syria, saying: “They didn’t write the truthful story, which they never do.” [The Wall Street Journal, 7/25/17]

Scaramucci: Left-Leaning Media Outlets Are “So Nasty.” In an interview with conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt, Scaramucci suggested he wouldn’t do any interviews with left-leaning outlets “because they’re just so nasty.”

[Hugh Hewitt]: It worked in the primaries. When is he going to start doing CNN, NBC, my show on Saturday mornings?

[Anthony Scaramucci]: Well…

HH: You’re the comms director. Get him out there.

AS: Well, let me say a couple things about that. I want to get the ship right inside. I obviously did a press conference and did a couple morning shows, but what I really want to do is subordinate myself to the job of restructuring and reorganization. So I can talk on TV, and it’s, you know, I have a face for radio, so this is probably easier to talk on radio, but let me just say this to you. My real job for the President is act as a business executive to restructure what’s going on, and reset the culture inside the place. Once we do that, my, our mission is to go to Breitbart all the way down the food chain to you tell me. I don’t know who the leftist leaning people are.

HH: Talking Points Memo.

AS: Whatever it might…

HH: Don’t do Media matters.

AS: Whatever it might be. I probably won’t do those, because they’re just so nasty. [HughHewitt.com, 7/25/17]

Trump At His Ohio Rally Speech: “I’m Here This Evening To Cut Through The Fake News Filter And Speak Straight To The American People.” Trump repeatedly used the phrase “fake news” during his campaign rally speech in Youngstown, Ohio. He also called the media “a dishonest group of people” and claimed they don’t “want to see our country be great again”:

I'm here this evening to cut through the fake news filter and to speak straight to the American people. fake news. fake, fake, fake news. [Chants of "drain the swamp" from arena]. Boy oh boy, people. Is there anyplace that's more fun, more exciting and safer than a Trump rally?

[...]

Every single President on Mt. Rushmore — now here's what i do. I'd ask whether or not you think I will some day be on Mt. Rushmore, but, but here's the problem. If I did it joking, totally joking, having fun, the fake news media will say, "he believes he should be on Mt. Rushmore." So I won't say it, okay? I won't say it. But every president -- they'll say it anyway tomorrow. "Trump thinks he should be on Mt. Rushmore." Isn't that terrible? What a group. What a dishonest group of people, I'll tell you. [Cheers from crowd] And you know the funny thing is that you would think they'd want to see our country be great again. You would really think so. But they don't. Some day they'll explain it to me why. [Time, 7/26/17]

July 26

Huckabee Sanders Threatened To End Press Briefing If Reporters Kept Asking Questions About Trump’s Announced Ban On Transgender Military Service Personnel. After receiving a question from Urban Radio Networks’ April Ryan about Trump’s announced ban on transgender Americans from serving in the military, Huckabee Sanders said: “Guys, I really don't have anything else to add on that topic. As I do, I'll keep you posted. But if those are the only questions we have, I'm going to call it a day. But if we have questions on other topics, I'll be happy to take them.” [White House press briefing, 7/26/17]

Trump On Reporter Who Shouted Question About His Transgender Military Personnel Policy: “She’s Very Rude.” After a reporter shouted a question to Trump at the conclusion of an outdoor event at the White House about his ban on transgender Americans from serving in the military, Trump commented, “she’s very rude.” [CNN, CNN Newsroom, 7/26/17]

Trump Comment On Washington Post Story: “More Fake News From The Amazon Washington Post.” Trump responded to a Washington Post report on his private talks about replacing Attorney General Jeff Sessions with a recess appointment with a statement that read, “More fake news from the Amazon Washington Post.” [The Washington Post, 7/26/17]

Scavino: CNN’s Don Lemon And His Guests Are A “Bunch Of CLOWNS.”

[Twitter, 7/26/17]

July 27

Trump Again Referred To The New York Times As “Failing.”

[Twitter, 7/27/17]

Scaramucci Reportedly Told The New Yorker’s Ryan Lizza He Was Unpatriotic For Not Disclosing Identity Of A Leaker To Him. Newsweek reported that “Scaramucci apparently told” The New Yorker’s Ryan Lizza “that not disclosing” a suspected leaker “was unpatriotic.” [Newsweek, 7/27/17]

Trump Accused “Fake News” Media Of “Purposely Phony Reporting” About Russian Election Interference.

[Twitter, 7/27/17, 7/27/17]

Huckabee Sanders Reiterated Trump Comment That Washington Post Report On Consideration Of A Recess Appointment To Replace Sessions Is “More Fake News From The Washington Post.” When asked by CBS’ Major Garrett about why she won’t offer more reassurance to Republicans that Trump won’t fire Sessions and won’t seek a recess appointment to replace him, Huckabee Sanders said: “I've answered your question, and yesterday you probably saw a statement come out from here that that was more fake news from The Washington Post on the fact that we were considering a recess appointment. I think that sums that up pretty clearly.” [White House press briefing, 7/27/17]

Conway Criticized Media Coverage Of Obamacare “Victims” And Highlighted Media’s Low Approval Numbers. On Fox’s Hannity, Conway criticized the media for their coverage of Obamacare “victims” and criticized the media’s approval ratings:

KELLYANNE CONWAY: You know, the mainstream media still puts them in quote, "Obamacare," quote, victims. Folks, they're real. You want to go cover intrigue? Go talk to those people, ask them what's happened to them and their families since they had their hours cut, their wages cut, their jobs cut, their health care benefits cut.

[...]

You know, the Congress' approval rating and the media's approval rating are far below the president's approval rating. They just don't cover it as much. [Fox News, Hannity, 7/27/17]

July 30

Conway: “They Built TV Sets And Fancy Graphics Screaming ‘Russian Collusion’ Incessantly. Were Salivating; Now Slinking Away. Any Regrets/Apologies?”

[Twitter, 7/30/17]

August 1

Trump: “Only The Fake News Media And Trump Enemies Want Me To Stop Using Social Media (110 Million People). Only Way For Me To Get The Truth Out!”

August 6

Pence: NY Times Article Reporting On His Positioning For 2020 Election Is “Disgraceful And Offensive To Me, My Family, And Our Entire Team.” Pence denounced what he called an “absurd” August 5 New York Times report that he may be planning to run for president in 2020, saying it was “disgraceful and offensive to me, my family, and our entire team.” He also said the reporting is “categorically false and represents just the latest attempt by the media to divide this administration.” He concluded the statement by invoking “fake news.” [The New York Times, 8/5/17; Twitter, 8/6/17]

Trump: “The Fake News Refuses To Report The Success Of The First 6 Months.”

[Twitter, 8/6/17]

August 7

Trump Wrote Series Of Tweets Attacking “Failing @nytimes,” “Phony Fake News Polling,” And The “24/7 #Fake News On CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS, NYTIMES & WAPO.”

Not only does the media give a platform to hate groups, but the media turns a blind eye to the gang violence on our streets! pic.twitter.com/Mau0B1qYIP

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 23, 2017

[Twitter, 8/23/17]

Trump: “Last Night In Phoenix I Read The Things From My Statements On Charlottesville That The Fake News Media Didn’t Cover Fairly."

[Twitter, 8/23/17]

Sanders Defended Trump’s Smear That Journalists “Don’t Like Our Country.” During a short press availability aboard Air Force One on August 23, Sanders was asked several questions about Trump’s attacks on the media during his Phoenix rally and defended Trump’s claims that some journalists don’t “love this country”:

Q    And a follow to Jeff -- about being serious about the shutdown, was he also serious when he said that he didn’t think that some journalists -- some in the press -- love this country?

MS. SANDERS:  Look, I think there are certainly some very real frustrations with the press, and certainly a lot of information out there that is not accurate that gets pushed to the American people.  I think that's a real disservice to the American people.  I think the job of reporters is to present facts and let people make up their own minds about where they stand on those issues.  It's not for them to insert their own opinions and force those upon the American people.  I think that's a problem.  I think as much as we can avoid that, it's good for everybody.

Q    Obviously you're the Press Secretary.  Do you think what's happened since Charlottesville has irreparably damaged the President's relationship with the press?

MS. SANDERS:  I don’t ever like to think that anything is irreparable.  I certainly think that -- and the President pointed out last night -- that there are some good people within the press corps, but I do think that there are steps that need to be taken to make stories more accurate and to make sure that we're presenting the American people with the most -- the best information possible, and let them make up their mind on where they stand on particular issues. [WhiteHouse.gov, 8/23/17]

August 24

Conway Accused Media Of Airing “Opinion Commentary Disguised As Reporting.” During an appearance on Fox & Friends, as written by Fox News Insider, Conway claimed “there’s a ‘huge disconnect’ between what’s important to Americans and what the ‘media are telling Americans is important to them.’” She complained that a more recent speech Trump gave “got scant coverage” and said media coverage “has become opinion commentary disguised as reporting.” [Fox News Insider, 8/24/17]

Trump: “The Fake News Is Now Complaining About My Different Types Of Back To Back Speeches.”

[Twitter, 8/24/17]

August 25

Trump: “General John Kelly Is Doing A Fantastic Job As Chief Of Staff. There Is Tremendous Spirit And Talent In The W.H. Don’t Believe The Fake News.”