President Donald Trump has increased his attacks on the media and news organizations, going as far as to label The New York Times “a true enemy of the people.” According to Trump, The New York Times is reporting false information. Trump did not, however, refute specific claims made by The New York Times.
So what then might the president be talking about? We can speculate. On Tuesday, The New York Times claimed that President Trump was pushing for U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman to take over the investigation of former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen. Berman is viewed as a Trump ally but recused himself from the investigation. The New York Times alleges that the president was trying to interfere.
Of course, whether such claims are true remains unknown. The New York Times claims that several U.S. officials with direct knowledge of the situation confirmed the reports. However, the officials remain anonymous.
The Justice Department is now under the leadership of Matthew G. Whitaker, who himself has said that he’d jump on a grenade for the president. While Whitaker is seen as a close Trump ally, he has so far proven unable to protect the president from the many investigations that have been delving into his business and political dealings.
It’s not The New York Times that’s been receiving criticism either. Trump recently blasted popular satire show “Saturday Night Live,” which has been highly critical of the president. Trump went as far as to allege “collusion” and has promised retribution. It’s unclear what the president meant by the claim.
The media should, of course, come under intense scrutiny. However, labeling an entire news organization as an enemy of the people is dangerous. Freedom of the press is one of the core tenets of American democracy.
