Trump says the U.S. needs many news outlets because 'so many are fake'

While talking with reporters on Air Force One Saturday, the President weighed in on the strained merger between AT&T and Time Warner, saying, quote, "I do feel you should have as many news outlets as you can — especially since so many are fake.”

The quote comes after the Justice Department stopped the deal, citing the necessity for Time Warner to sell CNN as part of the merger in order to steer clear from monopoly regulations.

DOJ sources told the Hill that the Justice Department was mandating the sale but the DOJ denied those reports.

With Trump’s frequent bashing of CNN as “fake news” some critics believe the President may be affecting the Justice Department’s decision concerning the $85 billion dollar deal.

However, both the head of the DOJ’s antitrust division and the President have denied the White House’s involvement with the blocked deal, with Trump also saying Saturday, “Well I didn’t make that decision — it was made by a man who’s a very respected person, a very very respected person.”

Last year, the President promised on his campaign trail to block the merger, because it’s, quote, “too much concentration of power in the hands of too few.”

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