Jake Tapper criticized President Donald Trump for being a hypocrite this week due to his constant disregard of the First Amendment.
On Monday’s episode of “The Lead,” the anchor pointed out the various ways the president had set his sights on the free press, particularly when they are saying negative things about him. The CNN host called the attacks “downright un-American,” warning both Trump and the Senate that history was watching.
“Mr. First Amendment has turned out to be anything but,” Tapper noted. “We have seen the president target free speech. Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert come to mind. But his disdain for freedom of the press is even more direct, doesn’t go through oligarchs.”
“But going after reporters, it’s just downright un-American. And it’s just the latest in a string of deeply concerning escalations,” he continued. “The White House barred Associated Press reporters from Air Force One and Oval Office meetings because the AP did not change their style to call the Gulf of Mexico the ‘Gulf of America.’ Remember, the AP is read all over the world, and we’re the only ones that call it the ‘Gulf of America.’ The Pentagon tried to impose broad restrictions on reporters, barring them from the building if they didn’t agree to them. Both restrictions have been challenged in court.”
Tapper pointed to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and his Signalgate scandal from last year as a place to look for cracking down on leaks, something Trump and Hegseth both said would happen. He also brought up Todd Blanche – Trump’s former personal lawyer – and his upcoming nomination vote to lead the Justice Department. A vote in favor of Blanche would mean another person pushing Trump’s anti-First Amendment agenda.
“Clearly part of this assault on the press,” Tapper finished. “This administration believes in pardoning January 6 extremists who beat up police officers while they subpoena journalists for doing our jobs. Is the Senate about to sanction this crackdown? We’re watching, so is history.”
