Trump's Fake News Awards blasted as 'terrifying' Republican Jeff Flake compares Trump to Stalin in Senate speech today - Al Jazeera

18/1/2018

Trump's Fake News Awards blasted as 'terrifying'

Republican Jeff Flake compares Trump to Stalin in Senate speech

today

Donald Trump has unveiled the winners of his "Fake News Awards", escalating his attacks on some of the US' major media outlets.

Members of the media, politicians and activists slammed the awards as "terrifying", "chilling" and "disgusting".

The US president first proposed the award in a November 2017 tweet.

The results on Wednesday evening came hours after Republican Senator Jeff Flake accused Trump of undermining the free press with Stalinist language.

The president announced the 11 winners on Twitter, linking to a list published on the Republican Party's website.

The website soon crashed after the post.

@realDonaldTrump

And the FAKE NEWS winners are...https://gop.com/the-highly-anticipated-2017-fake-news-awards/ …

12:00 PM - Jan 18, 2018

The Highly Anticipated 2017 Fake News Awards

2017 has been a year of unrelenting bias, unfair news coverage, and even downright fake news.

New York Times columnist Paul Krugman led the list with his claim Trump's presidential victory would kill financial markets.

ABC News came in at second place with a report on Trump and Russia.

TIME was also awarded, having reported that Trump removed a Martin Luther King, Jr. bust from the Oval Office.

Republican Senator John McCain recently decried Trump's aggressions against the press.

In a column for the Washington Post before the awards, McCain said that the president's favourite phrase, fake news, is "being used by autocrats to silence reporters, undermine political opponents, stave off media scrutiny, and mislead citizens".

Wednesday's development sparked a social media debate, with some questioning Trump's choices and others claiming the move targets media freedom.

Eugene Gu, a doctor, said on Twitter: "When the president of the United States attacks the freedom of the press, we become less and less the land of the free. We become more and more the land of tyranny."

@eugenegu

When the President of the United States attacks the freedom of the press, we become less and less the land of the free. We become more and more the land of tyranny. FakeNewsAwards

3:08 PM - Jan 18, 2018

Writer Wajahat Ali said the awards were "quite terrifying and chilling".

"This is what happens in dictatorships and fascist regimes," he said.

@WajahatAli

We laugh about the FakeNewsAwards but it is in fact quite terrifying and chilling. This is what happens in dictatorships and fascist regimes. Facts, language, truth and ultimately the press become hijacked to serve power, not question it or hold it accountable.

3:40 PM - Jan 18, 2018

Scott Dworkin, co-founder of the anti-Trump Democratic Coalition group, said on Twitter: "The #FakeNewsAwards is one of the most disgusting things I have ever seen a president do. Not only is he attacking free press, he's trying to make a joke out of him doing so."

@funder

The FakeNewsAwards is one of the most disgusting things I have ever seen a president do. Not only is he attacking free press, he's trying to make a joke out of him doing so. These BS awards are tasteless, classless & dangerous. Trump proves once again he isn't fit for anything.

2:36 PM - Jan 18, 2018

Many in the media mocked the awards.

The New York Daily News expressed disappointment that it did not receive a mention.

@NYDailyNews

Replying to @NYDailyNews

WE WERE ROBBED! http://nydn.us/2Df8ICP FakeNewsAwards

12:35 PM - Jan 18, 2018

22 22 Replies 62 62 Retweets 237 237 likes

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The journalist Chris Riotta thanked the president for a nomination, saying "this is the exact motiviation I needed to continue holding you accountable".

@chrisriotta

Replying to @chrisriotta

Your gas lighting and resulting “fake news” has allowed hate crimes to soar across the country. http://www.newsweek.com/dylan-roof-massacre-racist-fake-news-sites-causing-rise-hate-crimes-626922 …

@chrisriotta

It’s a sad day when the president of the United States can’t take criticism, to the point where he ostracizes the media and attacks reporters. But thanks for the award, @realDonaldTrump. It was the exact motivation I needed to continue holding you accountable.

1:55 PM - Jan 18, 2018

Democrats for Trump

@YoungDems4Trump

The FakeNewsAwards were so popular that they literally crashed the @GOP website hosting them! Incredible ratings

2:20 PM - Jan 18, 2018

Has Donald Trump broken the media?

SOURCE: AL JAZEERA NEWS