Trump defends calling media 'the enemy of the people': 'It's my only form of fighting back'

President Trump recently defended calling the media “the enemy of the people,” saying he uses the attack because it makes his supporters like him more.

In an interview with Axios scheduled to premiere this Sunday on HBO, he stated, “I think I’m doing a service [by attacking the press] when people write stories about me that are so wrong.”

Trump was specifically asked if he thinks about the potential dangers of using the word “enemy” to get his rally attendees worked up.

“It’s my only form of fighting back,” the president said. “I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t do that.”

The enemy-of-the-people approach to retaining support is one he uses frequently on Twitter.

Just days ago, he wrote: “There is great anger in our Country caused in part by inaccurate, and even fraudulent, reporting of the news. The Fake News Media, the true Enemy of the People, must stop the open & obvious hostility & report the news accurately & fairly. That will do much to put out the flame.”

Another tweet on the topic read: “I just cannot state strongly enough how totally dishonest much of the Media is. Truth doesn’t matter to them, they only have their hatred & agenda. This includes fake books, which come out about me all the time, always anonymous sources, and are pure fiction. Enemy of the People!”

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