President Donald Trump heaped criticism on what he called purveyors of “fake news” on Friday at a gathering of conservative activists that took him back to his roots as an anti-establishment candidate.
Speaking to a large group of conservatives, Mr. Trump sought to clarify a recent tweet in which he said some in the U.S. news media should be considered an “enemy of the people.”
“I’m against the people that make up stories and make up sources.
“They shouldn’t be allowed to use sources unless they use somebody’s name.
“Let their name be out there, let there be no more sources,” Mr. Trump said.
Trump has repeatedly chosen to make criticism of the news media a central focus of his public remarks since taking office on January 20.
He did this even as the courts blocked his order temporarily barring entry for people from seven Muslim-majority countries and refugees.
He fired his national security adviser and he faces questions about Russian interference in the November 8 U.S. election.
The speech allowed Mr. Trump to put his stamp firmly on the political movement even as some activists fret that his immigration and trade policies go too far.
Mr. Trump addressed the third day of the Conservative Political Action Conference, which has focused on how to fulfil long-held Republican goals to revamp the U.S. tax code.
“Repeal federal regulations on industry and repeal former Democratic President Barack Obama’s healthcare law.’’
With Mr. Trump in the White House and Republicans holding majorities in Congress, the party and thousands of conservative activists who flock to the event yearly from across the country are seeing their political influence rising.
Mr. Trump in an interview talked about imposing some form of a border tax to encourage more U.S. manufacturing.
He called the Chinese “grand champions” of currency manipulation that hurts U.S. exports and talked of expanding the U.S. nuclear arsenal.
Mr. Trump also said his aim is to serve the U.S. and not the rest of the world, doubling down on his “America First’’ message in remarks to a conservative conference.
“This is the U.S of America I’m representing; I’m not representing the globe.
“I’m representing your country,” Mr. Trump said at the Conservative Conference.
Mr. Trump vowed to toss out multilateral trade deals, bolster U.S industry and increase military spending as he remakes the Republican Party in his image with a focus on the “American worker.”
He stressed a common allegiance of all Americans to their country, pointing to the “same red blood of great patriots’’ flowing through the veins of all citizens.
The U.S. President at the White House on Friday also signed an executive order aimed at reducing the number of government regulations.
“Excessive regulations are killing jobs, driving companies out of our country like never before, the measure orders government departments to establish task forces to recommend regulations to be eliminated or simplified.
“Every regulation should have to pass a simple test: does it make life better or safer for American workers or consumers.
“If the answer is ‘no’, we will be getting rid of it and getting rid of it quickly,” Mr. Trump said while signing the order.
Mr. Trump’s focus on job creation includes efforts to reduce regulations that he claims put a burden on business.
Executives of companies, who Mr. Trump said would benefit from the move, were on hand to witness the signing.
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