President Trump took to Twitter in the wee hours of Friday morning to offer some fresh venting about CNN and their critical coverage of him in recent days.
Trump took issue with what he said was blame he was receiving about various mail bombs sent out this week to the network and a number of other prominent Trump critics.
“Funny how lowly rated CNN, and others, can criticize me at will, even blaming me for the current spate of Bombs and ridiculously comparing this to September 11th and the Oklahoma City bombing,” he said. “Yet when I criticize them they go wild and scream, “it’s just not Presidential!”
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1055719340832686080
It’s unclear who exactly at CNN has compared the attempted mail bombing to 9/11 or Oklahoma City or why the president was awake at 3 a.m. A rep for CNN did not immediately respond to request for comment.
What is clear is that CNN anchors and leadership have been unequivocal in laying the blame at Trump’s feet. Things got going right from the top, with network chief Jeff Zucker pointing the finger at rhetoric from the White House.
“The president, and especially the White House press secretary, should understand their words matter,” said Zucker. “Thus far, they have shown no comprehension of that.” Media reporter Brian Stelter noted on-air that all of the targets had been “criticized mercilessly by right-wing outlets” — a point he repeated in his newsletter Thursday evening.
Statement from CNN Worldwide President Jeff Zucker: pic.twitter.com/OXyIT6oSLT
— CNN Communications (@CNNPR) October 24, 2018
On Friday, 11th and 12th mail bombs were discovered addressed to New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker and former National Intelligence chief James Clapper. Other targets this week have included Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, John Brennan, Maxine Waters and billionaire financier George Soros.
Trump has so far gone out of his way to avoid standing in solidarity with CNN — who he routinely derides as fake news. During a bill signing ceremony at the White House on Wednesday, Trump condemned all political violence.
“I just want to tell you that in these times, we have to unify,” he said. “We have to come together and send one very clear, strong, unmistakable message that acts or threats of political violence of any kind have no place in the United States of America.”