The White House was circulating an editorial from D.C.'s most prominent newspaper only hours after the President tweeted yet another attack on that newspaper and other media outlets, branding them as fakes.
An editorial in The Washington Post had given President Donald Trump credit for at least supporting a good idea borrowed from Democrats, that being the proposal to privatize air traffic controllers. The White House in an email included that and other editorials it said were praising the proposal.
But only a few hours before, the President had tweeted, without further context:
Sorry folks, but if I would have relied on the Fake News of CNN, NBC, ABC, CBS, washpost or nytimes, I would have had ZERO chance winning WH
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 6, 2017
That was followed by the more general broadside aimed at the mainstream media (and apparently treating mainstream as two words):
The FAKE MSM is working so hard trying to get me not to use Social Media. They hate that I can get the honest and unfiltered message out.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 6, 2017
At Tuesday's White House briefing, spokesman Sean Spicer confirmed that his tweets are considered "official statements of the President of the United States." He said the President's use of social media gives him an opportunity to speak directly to the American people.
