President Donald Trump made a series of comments last night attacking the news media, and at least one editor from a major newspaper wasn’t having it.
Trump went on a rampage during a campaign rally in Phoenix, Arizona. Although he made many attacks against several specific individuals, his comments on the news media in particular hit a nerve.
Trump spent a significant portion of his speech going after what he described as “fake news” media in America:
“It’s time to expose the crooked media deceptions, and to challenge the media for their role in fomenting divisions. They are trying to take away our history and our heritage…These are really, really dishonest people, and they’re bad people. And I really think [the media] don’t like our country. I really believe that. And I don’t believe they’re going to change, and that’s why I do this. If they would change, I would never say it. The only people giving a platform to these hate groups is the media itself, and the fake news.”
Many responded to Trump’s allegations, but one editor in particular made his case for why the president was wrong, providing examples of several news articles that demonstrated the important role that media plays in society.
John Kelly, the Data and Investigations Editor for the USA Today network of newspapers, sent a series of tweets out that countered the president’s accusations. In his initial tweet, Kelly directly contradicted Trump’s words, saying, “He’s wrong.”
POTUS told the American people last night that journalists "don't like our country." He's wrong. Our work, for you, proves it. Just some …
— John Kelly (@jkelly3rd) August 23, 2017
Kelly then sent out a handful of tweets with links to important articles that journalists had written for the American people.
4 million Americans could be drinking toxic water and would never know https://t.co/tVNuBySbvN via @usatoday #journalistsloveamerica
— John Kelly (@jkelly3rd) August 23, 2017
Beyond Flint: Excessive lead in almost 2,000 water systems across all 50 states https://t.co/LGECnmLIiQ by @usatoday #journalistsloveamerica
— John Kelly (@jkelly3rd) August 23, 2017
Broken discipline tracking systems let teachers flee troubled pasts https://t.co/u5KlnmBvzP via @usatoday #journalistsloveamerica
— John Kelly (@jkelly3rd) August 23, 2017
Teachers who sexually abuse students still find classroom jobs https://t.co/wFAfZPYNib via @usatoday #journalistsloveamerica
— John Kelly (@jkelly3rd) August 23, 2017
Tens of thousands of rape kits go untested across USA https://t.co/dnUeyo6arZ via @usatoday #journalistsloveamerica
— John Kelly (@jkelly3rd) August 23, 2017
A 20-year toll: 368 gymnasts allege sexual exploitation https://t.co/kMLebjRVOF via @indystar #journalistsloveamerica
— John Kelly (@jkelly3rd) August 23, 2017
Cellphone data spying: It's not just the NSA https://t.co/ardRUYTXcV via @usatoday #journalistsloveamerica
— John Kelly (@jkelly3rd) August 23, 2017
Kelly listed several more tweets full of examples of stories that journalists broke that are important to the people of this nation. In his final tweet, he summarized his main point: that journalists, contrary to what Trump has suggested, love America.
So, I could do this all day. I just scraped the surface of what one company @gannett and our @USATODAY Network does. #journalistsloveamerica
— John Kelly (@jkelly3rd) August 23, 2017
The president seems to have created a feud with news media that has oftentimes shown he has lied or otherwise misled the American people. In order to win that feud, Trump is attempting to undermine a pillar of society that even the founding fathers determined was important to protect. We require a robust news media, to challenge those in positions of power, and to bring forth the truth on issues some would rather have stay hidden.
Featured image via Twitter.