Donald Trump's Twitter Suggests News Networks Should Have Licences 'Challenged'

'This is crazy.'
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Donald Trump appears to have launched a direct challenge to the American First Amendment by asking if news networks he disagrees with should have their licenses “challenged”.

The President made the dictator-esque suggestion in a tweet in which he claimed organisations running articles he doesn’t like are “bad for the country”.

With all of the Fake News coming out of NBC and the Networks, at what point is it appropriate to challenge their License? Bad for country!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 11, 2017

Nothing to see here: Just the most powerful man in the world threatening to shut down networks that report the truth about him. https://t.co/Jmc1DaOaAy

— Jon Ralston (@RalstonReports) October 11, 2017

The tweet was in response to an NBC News article claiming Trump wanted to dramatically increase the country’s nuclear arsenal, citing three officials who were present at a meeting with his national security advisers in July.

It is the same meeting where Secretary of State Rex Tillerson referred to Trump as a “moron”.

Fake @NBCNews made up a story that I wanted a "tenfold" increase in our U.S. nuclear arsenal. Pure fiction, made up to demean. NBC = CNN!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 11, 2017

Trump’s tweet prompted a wave of protest from people citing the First Amendment which protects against infringement on the freedom of the press.

The president is directly challenging the first amendment here. This should be a no brainer that this is NOT OK!!

— Jeremy Travaglini (@JeremyTrav22) October 11, 2017

Never. 1st Amendment.

— Tom Mullaly (@wagefreedom) October 11, 2017

If you don't want to be called an authoritarian or dictator, stop acting like you are !!!!

— (((Howard Forman))) (@thehowie) October 11, 2017

Others were less succinct.

Go fuck yourself, you fucking asshole.

— Pé Resists (@4everNeverTrump) October 11, 2017

The claim comes just days after Trump complained that the Senate Intelligence Committee investigating Russian meddling in the 2016 election should also look into “Fake News Networks”.

Why Isn't the Senate Intel Committee looking into the Fake News Networks in OUR country to see why so much of our news is just made up-FAKE!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 5, 2017

Senator Richard M. Burr, one of the committee’s leaders, said last week it “not going to investigate news organisations” but some media reports my be contradicted by its findings.

White House Press Secretary, Sarah Sanders said at the time: “The President is an incredible advocate of the First Amendment, but with the First Amendment ... with those freedoms also come responsibilities.

“And you have a responsibility to tell the truth, to be accurate.”

This is the same Sarah Sanders who just yesterday tried to convince a room full of journalists that a particular sentence about taxes meant the same as a completely different sentence.

Last week: "The president is an incredible advocate of the First Amendment." -@PressSec https://t.co/NDUWmWpE43

— Hallie Jackson (@HallieJackson) October 11, 2017

Countries that do censor the media include Iran, North Korea and Syria.

This is developing story and will be updated. Check back for the fullest version. Follow HuffPost UK on Twitter here, and on Facebook here.

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