Trump Says We need Many News Outlets: 'So Many are Fake'
by Keely Sharp
On Saturday, President Trump stated that the United Stated needs more news outlets. He claims we need as "many news outlets as [we] can" get in order to get the truth out, despite the fake news being spread.
He said, "I do feel you should have as many news outlets as you can — especially since so many are fake."
This comes in the wake of rumors that CNN is being sold amid negotiations between AT&T and Time Warner.
The Hill reports:
Reports conflicted this week about whether AT&T and Time Warner are being asked to sell CNN as part of the merger, in order to avoid monopoly regulations. CNN is part of Turner Broadcasting, which is owned by Time Warner.
Department of Justice (DOJ) and AT&T sources said the DOJ was mandating the sale, but the Justice Department denied it. AT&T was also rumored to have offered to part with CNN in order to secure the merger, but the company's CEO said publicly that selling CNN is off the table.
The corporate negotiations are political in part because Trump frequently calls out CNN as "fake news." Some critics alleged Trump could be seeking to retaliate against the network by interfering in a Justice Department decision regarding the $85 billion merger.
The head of the DOJ's antitrust division denied that the White House is involved in the transaction.
DOJ Head Makan Delrahim said, "I have never been instructed by the White House on this or any other transaction under review by the antitrust division," denying any involvement with the transaction.
White House spokesman Raj Shah added, "The president did not speak with the attorney general about this matter, and no White House official was authorized to speak with the Department of Justice on this matter."
"Well I didn't make that decision — it was made by a man who's a very respected person, a very very respected person," President Trump said, "That probably ends up being litigation; maybe not. We'll see how it all plays out."
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