Trump calls media ´enemy of the American people´

WASHINGTON: Donald Trump ratcheted up his attacks on the media Friday, describing the press as "the enemy of the American people!" in a tweet.

Shortly after landing at his holiday home in Mar-a-Lago, Florida -- where he is spending a third consecutive weekend -- the president lashed out in 140 characters.

"The FAKE NEWS media (failing @nytimes, @NBCNews, @ABC, @CBS, @CNN) is not my enemy, it is the enemy of the American People!" Trump wrote.

The FAKE NEWS media (failing @nytimes, @NBCNews, @ABC, @CBS, @CNN) is not my enemy, it is the enemy of the American People!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 17, 2017

Trump had tweeted an earlier post which targeted the New York Times, CNN, NBC "and many more" media -- and ended with the exclamation "SICK!"

But he swiftly deleted that missive before reposting the definitive version -- adding two more "enemies" to his blacklist.

Many US presidents have criticized the press, but Trump´s language has more closely echoed criticism leveled by authoritarian leaders around the world.
The 70-year-old built his campaign on criticizing the press as biased.

On Thursday he launched a long diatribe at a grievance-filled news conference, in which he blamed the media for his one-month-old administration´s problems.

In four tumultuous weeks, Trump has seen his national security advisor ousted, a cabinet nominee withdraw, a centerpiece immigration policy fail in the courts and a tidal wave of damaging leaks.