In his latest jab at the media, President Donald Trump on Sunday tweeted a mock video that shows him pummeling a man in a business suit 害羞草研究所� his face obscured by the CNN logo 害羞草研究所� outside a wrestling ring.
It was not immediately clear who produced the brief video, which appears to be a doctored version of Trump害羞草研究所檚 2007 appearance on World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. The 28-second clip was posted on Trump害羞草研究所檚 official Twitter account, with the message: 害羞草研究所�#FraudNewsCNN #FNN.害羞草研究所�
The president in the past has branded the media as 害羞草研究所渢he opposition party害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所渢he enemy of the American people.害羞草研究所� He has taken particular aim at CNN, calling the network 害羞草研究所渇ake news.害羞草研究所�
Bruce Brown, the executive director of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, condemned the video as a 害羞草研究所渢hreat of physical violence against journalists.害羞草研究所� He said Trump害羞草研究所檚 tweet was 害羞草研究所渂eneath the office of the presidency.害羞草研究所�
A White House aide insisted the tweet should not send a chill across the media landscape.
害羞草研究所淚 think that no one would perceive that as a threat,害羞草研究所� homeland security adviser Tom Bossert said. 害羞草研究所淚 hope they don害羞草研究所檛. But I do think that he害羞草研究所檚 beaten up in a way on cable platforms that he has a right to respond to.害羞草研究所�
CNN accused Trump of engaging in 害羞草研究所渏uvenile behaviour far below the dignity of his office.害羞草研究所�
The dishonest media will NEVER keep us from accomplishing our objectives on behalf of our GREAT AMERICAN PEOPLE! 馃嚭馃嚫
害羞草研究所� Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump)
White House officials travelling with Trump during his weekend stay at his New Jersey golf club did not immediately respond to questions about who made the video or about any message the president might have intended to send.
The video appeared to be a doctored version of an appearance Trump made on a World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. show called 害羞草研究所淏attle of the Billionaires害羞草研究所� in 2007, in which Trump appears to attack WWE CEO Vince McMahon.
McMahon害羞草研究所檚 wife, Linda, who founded and built the company with her husband, now heads the Small Business Administration for Trump and was a generous benefactor to his campaign.
The video was posted several days ago by a Reddit user with the title, 害羞草研究所淭rump takes down fake news.害羞草研究所� It was not clear whether that was where it originated or where Trump found it. Still, the user wrote Sunday about being 害羞草研究所渉onoured害羞草研究所� Trump had tweeted the video. The user who posted the video has a history of posts using anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant language.
The president害羞草研究所檚 verbal shots against news outlets and individual members of the media have grown increasingly personal in recent days even as lawmakers in both parties say the insults only threaten to undermine his political agenda.
Trump has singled out MSNBC host Mika Brzezinski and CNN for some of his most biting criticism, and hardly is backing down in the face of widespread condemnation from the political class.
害羞草研究所淭he fake media tried to stop us from going to the White House, but I害羞草研究所檓 president and they害羞草研究所檙e not,害羞草研究所� Trump told a supportive crowd Saturday in Washington.
A White House spokeswoman, Sarah Sanders, told reporters last week that Trump 害羞草研究所渋n no way, form or fashion has ever promoted or encouraged violence.害羞草研究所�
CNN, in its response to the video posted Sunday, said it was 害羞草研究所渁 sad day when the president of the United States encourages violence against reporters. Clearly, Sarah Huckabee Sanders lied when she said the president had never done so.害羞草研究所�
CNN害羞草研究所檚 statement noted the weighty list of issues before Trump 芒鈧π卟菅芯克鶟 an overseas trip this week that includes a meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, the stalled health care bill, the threat from North Korea. Instead of focusing on those matters, CNN said, 害羞草研究所渉e is involved in juvenile behaviour far below the dignity of his office. We will keep doing our jobs. He should start doing his.害羞草研究所�
Trump害羞草研究所檚 latest tweet came as Republicans and Democrats have been imploring him to focus on leading the country, rather than exploding on social media.
For days, Trump has focused his ire on Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough, co-hosts of MSNBC害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所淢orning Joe.害羞草研究所�
Trump took to Twitter on Thursday to call Brzezinski 害羞草研究所渃razy害羞草研究所� and contend she was 害羞草研究所渂leeding badly from a face-lift害羞草研究所� when he once saw them at his Florida estate. The comment was decried as sexist and vulgar by many Democrats and Republicans.
The MSNBC personalities said Friday that Trump was lying about their December encounter and they questioned his 害羞草研究所渦nhealthy obsession害羞草研究所� with their program.
The hosts, who are a couple onscreen and off, also said the White House told them a damaging National Enquirer story about their relationship would 害羞草研究所済o away害羞草研究所� if they called the president and apologized for harsh commentary. Trump quickly disputed the claim on Twitter.
Republican officials acknowledged Sunday that Trump害羞草研究所檚 Twitter feed distracts from work like health care.
害羞草研究所淲e in Washington, we in the country, cannot be focused on tweets,害羞草研究所� said Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., adding that 害羞草研究所淚 get so frustrated when we get focused on tweets.害羞草研究所�
Gov. John Kasich, R-Ohio, said he hoped Trump害羞草研究所檚 family would talk to him and say, 害羞草研究所淜nock it off.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淭he coarseness doesn害羞草研究所檛 help anybody,害羞草研究所� he said.
Bossert and Kasich appeared on ABC害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所淭his Week.害羞草研究所� Cassidy was on NBC害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所淢eet the Press.害羞草研究所�
Catherine Lucey, The Associated Press
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