White House counselor Kellyanne Conway said Sunday that she does “not believe that journalists are the enemy of the people” after President Donald Trump tweeted his most aggressive attack of the fourth estate yet, calling journalists “dangerous,” “sick” people who could “cause a war.”
The Fake News hates me saying that they are the Enemy of the People only because they know it’s TRUE. I am providing a great service by explaining this to the American People. They purposely cause great division & distrust. They can also cause War! They are very dangerous & sick!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 5, 2018
On CBS’ “Face the Nation,” Conway said of the tweet: “It refers to those [reporters] who aren’t always telling the truth and who are giving emotion over information. Who are talking more about their own egos than doing everyman interviews.”
She continued, in a notable break from her boss: “I don’t believe journalists are the enemy of the people.”
“I think some journalists are the enemy of the relevant, and the enemy of the news you can use,” she added.
Trump’s fusillade against the press has been in the spotlight lately, as press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders refused to deny that the reporters are enemies of the people during her White House press briefing last week.
Watch the interview here.