Trump Defends Sinclair, Rips ‘Fake News Networks’ and CNN’s ‘Little Jeff Zuker’

“They should only be allowed to get awards for fiction,” POTUS tweets on Tuesday about mainstream networks

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President Donald Trump defended Sinclair Broadcast Group again on Tuesday by launching an angry attack against “fake news” and singling out CNN chief Jeff Zucker for criticism by name.

“The Fake News Networks, those that knowingly have a sick and biased AGENDA, are worried about the competition and quality of Sinclair Broadcast. The “Fakers” at CNN, NBC, ABC & CBS have done so much dishonest reporting that they should only be allowed to get awards for fiction!” said the president.

“Check out the fact that you can’t get a job at ratings challenged @CNN unless you state that you are totally anti-Trump? Little Jeff Zuker, whose job is in jeopardy, is not having much fun lately. They should clean up and strengthen CNN and get back to honest reporting!”

The president also misspelled Zucker’s name.

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/981117684489379840

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/981123772169191424

It was the second day in a row President Trump came to Sinclair’s defense after the company faced broad derision from journalists over the company’s practice of forcing reporters to read anti-media talking points on-air.

“So funny to watch Fake News Networks, among the most dishonest groups of people I have ever dealt with, criticize Sinclair Broadcasting for being biased,” Trump tweeted Monday. “Sinclair is far superior to CNN and even more Fake NBC, which is a total joke.”

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/980799183425802240?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thewrap.com%2Ftrump-defends-sinclair-tv-stations-bias-accusations-far-superior-cnn-even-fake-nbc%2F&tfw_creator=levinejonathan&tfw_site=thewrap

The direct attack on its boss by name prompted an official response from CNN — complete with a “facts first” apple emoji.

“Once again, false. The personal political beliefs of CNN’s employees are of no interest to us. Their pursuit of the truth is our only concern. Also, Jeff’s last name is spelled Z-U-C-K-E-R. Those are the facts. #FactsFirst????”

The president’s words about Sinclair, however, has only fanned the flames of division that the company has ignited in recent days. On Monday and Tuesday, the set of “Morning Joe” echoed many in media who likened the company to Soviet-style propaganda from the Cold War.

“Does that not remind you so much of what we as Americans and what those of us in the free world mocked from Soviet block country during 50, 45 years of the Cold War and we said, ‘that’s what separates us from them,’” said co-host Joe Scarborough Monday. “This Pravda-style propaganda has to stop.”

The Sinclair conversation kicked off over the weekend when Deadspin published a mashup featuring dozens of Sinclair reporters parroting the same script.

“But we’re concerned about the troubling trend of irresponsible, one sided news stories plaguing our country. The sharing of biased and false news has become all too common on social media,” the script reads.

“More alarming, some media outlets publish these same fake stories… stories that just aren’t true, without checking facts first. Unfortunately, some members of the media use their platforms to push their own personal bias and agenda to control ‘exactly what people think’…This is extremely dangerous to a democracy.”

You can watch the original video below.

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