President Trump's disregard for a free press just reached a new low: He's urging the Senate Intelligence Committee to investigate American news outlets for publishing "fake" stories. "This is the kind of statement one expects to hear from a despot, not from an American president," said Jameel Jaffer, the director of the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University. "The free press is a pillar of our democracy, not a threat to it," Jaffer said. Trump frequently assails "fake" news coverage, but the White House press corps is operating pretty much the way it has for decades, without draconian new restrictions. Trump may be ratcheting up his criticism of the press as special counsel Robert Mueller's probe moves forward and the midterm elections approach.

Source: CNN October 05, 2017 12:44 UTC