WASHINGTON (CBSNewYork) — While Democrats worked to name a new leader Saturday, President Donald Trump continued to wage a war against the media.
“A few days ago, I called the fake news the enemy of the people, and they are. They are the enemy of the people,” Trump said Friday at the Conservative Political Action Conference.
Keeping up his sharp criticism of the media, Trump tweeted overnight, “fake news media knowingly doesn’t tell the truth.”
FAKE NEWS media knowingly doesn't tell the truth. A great danger to our country. The failing @nytimes has become a joke. Likewise @CNN. Sad!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 25, 2017
The New York Times fired back in a new television commercial titled, “The Truth Is Hard,” and Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, D-New York, spoke out at the newspaper’s headquarters Saturday after the Trump administration barred the Times and other media outlets from an on-the-record briefing.
“We are calling upon the current administration to restore access evenly and fairly to all members of the press as they represent the people,” Maloney said.
But Trump said he’s fed up with the negative stories based on anonymous sources.
“They shouldn’t be allowed to use sources unless they use somebody’s name. Let their name be put out there,” he said.
In what might be a sign of just how icy his relationship is with the media, the president also tweeted Saturday that he will not be attending the traditional White House Correspondents’ dinner in April.
I will not be attending the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner this year. Please wish everyone well and have a great evening!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 25, 2017
The head of the White House Correspondents Association said this will be the first time since 1981 that a sitting president will not attend the annual fundraising dinner.
The only reason former President Ronald Reagan skipped it 36 years ago was because he was in the hospital recovering from a gunshot wound from an assassination attempt, CBS2’s Brian Conybeare reported.