President Trump on Thursday blamed the media for the intense anger and division among Americans.
“A very big part of the Anger we see today in our society is caused by the purposely false and inaccurate reporting of the Mainstream Media that I refer to as Fake News,” Mr. Trump tweeted.
A very big part of the Anger we see today in our society is caused by the purposely false and inaccurate reporting of the Mainstream Media that I refer to as Fake News. It has gotten so bad and hateful that it is beyond description. Mainstream Media must clean up its act, FAST!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 25, 2018
The president said the tension in the country is “beyond description” and demanded the media “clean up its act, FAST!”
His comment came just a day after several suspicious packages were found targeting high-profile Democrats like the Clintons and the Obamas. A package was also sent to CNN, prompting their headquarters in New York to be evacuated.
On Thursday morning, yet another suspicious package sent to a New York address connected to actor and vocal Trump critic Robert De Niro. A bomb squad removed the package early Thursday morning.
Former CIA Director John O. Brennan, who the CNN pipe bomb was addressed to, slammed the president’s tweet and demanded he “try to act Presidential.”
Stop blaming others. Look in the mirror. Your inflammatory rhetoric, insults, lies, & encouragement of physical violence are disgraceful. Clean up your act….try to act Presidential. The American people deserve much better. BTW, your critics will not be intimidated into silence. https://t.co/cS5qNiuU7o
— John O. Brennan (@JohnBrennan) October 25, 2018
White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders defended Mr. Trump on Fox News Thursday morning, saying the president “could not have been more presidential.”
“Let’s not get lost in who is responsible for this heinous act. It is the person who made and sent these suspicious packages,” she said, “Let’s not forget that that is ultimately the person who is responsible and who will be held responsible by this administration.”
Speaking to reporters outside the White House, Mrs. Sanders declined to say if the president would stop insulting his political opponents.
“Look, the president is going to continue to lay out the differences between Democrats and Republicans,” she said.
• Gabriella Muñoz can be reached at gmunoz@washingtontimes.com.
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