WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The US Senate on Thursday unanimously approved a resolution reaffirming the role of the free press in the United States and rejecting President Donald Trump’s assertion that the media is the enemy of the people.
The resolution emphasizes that the press is not the enemy of the people and underlines the Senate’s support for liberty and free speech. It also asserts that the free press serves to «inform the electorate, uncover the truth, and act as a check on the inherent power of the government.»
«We can’t let statements by the president declaring that the press is the enemy of the people go unchallenged,» Senator Brian Schatz, who introduced the resolution along with Senator Chuck Schumer, said during a speech on the floor before the chamber passed the resolution by unanimous consent.
Trump has repeatedly derided the US press, calling it «the enemy of the people» and branding certain media outlets «fake news.» The US President renewed his criticism of the press earlier on Thursday, saying the «fake news media» is bad for the United States. Trump’s comments came as hundreds of newspapers across the country published editorials protesting against the president’s attacks on the free press.
