&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Trump slams US media, calls negative coverage 'illegal' after Jimmy Kimmel show suspension stirs free speech debate")
US President Donald Trump on Friday (Sep 19) railed against American news outlets, accusing them of distorting stories and calling their negative coverage of him "illegal." The Republican president's statement has stoked a debate over free speech in the US, especially given the recent suspension of comedian Jimmy Kimmel's TV show by ABC for a statement over the assassination of MAGA influencer Charlie Kirk. Here's what Trump said in his latest controversial statement.
They make great stories 'bad'
Speaking to reporters at the Oval Office, Trump, who is known for his controversial statements, said, "They'll (the media) take a great story and they'll make it bad. See, I think it's really illegal, personally." The 79-year-old Republican, who has sued several major media companies this year, also repeated his long-standing claim that coverage of him was "97 per cent bad." Earlier in the day, Trump, on his way back from a trip to Britain, condemned evening shows on network television, saying, “all they do is hit Trump.”
Trump defends Brendan Carr
Trump also defended Federal Communications Commission (FCC) member Brendan Carr, who this week threatened TV broadcasters after late-night host Jimmy Kimmel joked about the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. ABC responded by suspending Kimmel's show indefinitely, a move that has fuelled an intense debate over free speech and government overreach.
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Now, Trump has labelled Carr "an incredible American patriot with courage". “He loves our country, and he's a tough guy,” the POTUS said about Carr, who threatened the licenses of ABC affiliates that broadcast Jimmy Kimmel's show.
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Not all Republicans were comfortable with Carr's warning. Senator Ted Cruz said it was dangerous for government officials to decide what speech is acceptable. Comparing Carr's rhetoric to a mob threat, Cruz quipped: "I got to say that's right out of 'Goodfellas'. That's right out of a mafioso coming into a bar going, 'Nice bar you have here. It would be a shame if something happened to it'."
Trump, meanwhile, suffered a setback in his own media battles. A federal judge this week threw out his $15 billion defamation lawsuit against The New York Times, issuing a sharply worded ruling against him.
