Arizona Republican Senator John McCain criticised Tuesday the hostile attitude President Donald Trump has toward the press and asked Congress to do something and protect journalists worldwide.
“Whether Trump knows it or not, these efforts are being closely watched by foreign leaders who are already using his words as cover as they silence and shutter one of the key pillars of democracy,” McCain said in an op-ed published by The Washington Post.
McCain commented on the Trump administration’s treatment of journalists, calling it “inconsistent at best and hypocritical at worst,” especially when it comes to disapproving the press abroad.
According to The Hill, McCain cited other foreign leaders who have adopted the term “fake news,” which is Trump’s preferred term for unfavorable press coverage. Foreign leaders using the phrase can make it more difficult for activists abroad to express dissent, McCain argued.
The Senator suggested that Congress should not ignore the growing problem and start doing something that will encourage the U.S.’s allies to evaluate their policies that ensure freedom of the press. Also, in the senator’s opinion, Congress should authorizer foreign aid meant to condemn violence against journalists as well as support independent media outlets.
“We cannot afford to abdicate America’s long-standing role as a defender of human rights and democratic principles throughout the world,” McCain commented.
McCain’s statement was published one night before Arizona Senator Jeff Flake announced that he was going to have a speech criticizing Trump’s war against the news media labelling them as “enemy of the people.”
According to excerpts of the speech shared with The Hill, Flake is expected to compare Trump’s use of the term to Soviet Union dictator Josef Stalin’s use of the term.
Flake’s speech comes after his announcement that he would be retiring from the Senate when his term expires next January.
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