Trump launches another blistering attack on media while he and chief of staff assault use of anonymous sources

pulse

February 19, 2017 12:41 AM

President Donald Trump launched another attack aimed at "the dishonest media" in an extended rant during a rally in Melbourne, Florida, on Saturday, criticizing the publishing of recent stories detailing a chaotic first month in the White House.

During the rally, Trump alleged that recent stories critical of the administration had "no sources" — or fake sources.

Shortly after Trump's rally wrapped up, CBS News published a segment of an interview with Trump's chief of staff, Reince Priebus, who told CBS's John Dickerson that Americans should take "seriously" Trump's recent comments that the media is "the enemy of the American people."

While Trump has long attacked the media, Trump's speech Saturday and Priebus's interview, due to air in full on Sunday's "Face the Nation," demonstrated a new shift in the offensive. Both Trump and Priebus directed their comments at discrediting the anonymously sourced and leaked stories that have plagued Trump's first month in office.

Priebus called recent stories in the New York Times

“I think that the media should stop with this unnamed source stuff. Put names on a piece of paper and print it. If people aren't willing to put their name next to a quote, then the quote shouldn't be listed,” Priebus said.

Trump invoked numerous past presidents to justify his attacks on the media.

The president's attack on the media came several days after a wide-ranging press conference from the White House during which he lambasted news outlets and attempted to discredit negative reporting on his administration as "fake news" and "very fake news."

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