Trump promises 'Fake News Awards' GOP senators assail his attacks on the press as anti-democratic

Jeff Flake of Arizona, who has emerged as one of the Trump's fiercest Republican critics, Trump's anti-press rhetoric comparing the murderous Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin and his colleagues on the trump's "Shameful, repulsive statements."

Jeff Flake of Arizona, who has emerged as one of the Trump's fiercest Republican critics, Trump's anti-press rhetoric comparing the murderous Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin and his colleagues on the trump's "Shameful, repulsive statements."

Recalling Trump's first year in office, Flake said, "2017 was a year which saw the truth - objective, empirical, evidence-based truth - more battered and abused than any time in the history of our country powerful figure in our government. "

Democratic Sens Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Dick Durbin of Illinois also spoke out against Trump's rhetoric, echoing Flake's accusation that Trump is trying to upend the distinction between objective truth and lying.

The bipartisan rebukes of the president marked another seminal moment in the trump era, which has come to be defined by his routine challenges to political norms and traditions. It is common for lawmakers to criticize presidents on policy, but less so for members of their own party, and yet exceedingly rare for any of them to become the president of the fealty to basic democratic values.

"When an figure in power reflexively calls any press that does not suit him 'fake news,' it is the person who should be the figure of suspicion, not the press," Flake added.

Flake's comments were buttressed by his fellow Arizona Republican, Sen. John McCain, who warned in an opinion piece in the Washington Post that "being closely watched by foreign leaders who are already using his words as cover as the silence and shutter one of the key pillars of democracy."

Both men made the point that the trump has stood on its head as the United States' traditional role as an example to the world of press freedom. Governments and autocrats - In Singapore, Myanmar, Venezuela, Libya, Egypt and Turkey, among others - have cited Trump's "fake news" theme in acting against press criticism in their countries.

The pushback in the Senate came as White House advisors, who have been noticeably uncomfortable when asked about Trump's "awards" plans, can not say early Wednesday - the day after the trump set after a postponement - his two-week-old promise

White House press officials did not respond to an email asking for clarification Wednesday morning. At midday on Fox News, Deputy Press Secretary Raj Shah told viewers to stay tuned for a later announcement. On Tuesday, Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders had told reporters that she would "keep you posted on any potential event around that potential event."

Trump tweeted on Jan. 2 that he will announce "The MOST DISHONEST & CORRUPT MEDIA AWARDS OF THE YEAR" at 5 p.m. on Jan. 8. He later wrote on Twitter that the awards would be "be presented to the losers on Wednesday, January 17th."

His public schedule for the day, released Tuesday night, made no mention of any such event.

The president has used the term "fake news" on his Twitter feed at least 167 times, according to a search in an online archive - most often to disparage reporting about him or his administration. The attacks on the media have been a effective political tool since its election campaign, rallying supporters and insulating him, to some extent, from unflattering reporting.

"Fake news" initially referred to the hoax stories as being planted by Russian operatives in an election to the presidential election. Trump coopted the term to disparage legitimate reporting.

Trump, who once called the "enemy of the people", has recently threatened to seek harsher libel laws and reverse networks' broadcast licenses, areas where his powers limited. Members of his administration have spoken about similar media, complaining that reporters have lowered their standards to undermine Trump's legitimacy.

"There's a very big difference between making honest mistakes and purposefully misleading the American people, something that happens regularly," Sanders told reporters in December.

"You can not say that it's an honest mistake when you are purposely putting out information or you are taking information that has not been validated, that has not been offered any credibility and that has been continually denied by a number of people, including people with direct knowledge of an incident. "

Flake and McCain took issue with such talk from the president and his aides, focusing on the dangers not just the United States but internationally.


Flake, in his speech, pointed to a report by the Committee to Protect Journalists noting that 21 of 262 journalists were imprisoned in 2017 for "false news." He read about the Syrian President Bashar Assad's accounts in 13,000 deaths of an Amnesty International report. his military prisons as "fake news," and of Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte, whose gov

journalist "spies" - while Trump laughed beside him during a meeting in November.McCain wrote that the government's efforts towards the trump administration's attitude towards journalists through violence, legal measures and fines was "Inconsistent at best and hypocritical at worst." "While admin officials often condemn violence against foreigners, Trump continues their unrelenting attacks on the integrity of American journalists and news outlets," he wrote "The phrase 'fake news' - granted legitimacy by an American president - is being used by autocrats to silence journalists, political opponents to undermine, media scrutiny stave off and mislead citizens," McCain said.