Donald Trump joked with Russian President Vladimir Putin that they should “get rid” of journalists as they met in public at the G-20 conference of world leaders in Osaka, Japan. Indicating toward the journalists in the room, Trump said, “Get rid of them. Fake news is a great term, isn’t it? You don’t have this problem in Russia but we do.” Putin responded, in English: “We also have. It’s the same.” It has been reported that 21 journalists have been killed in Russia since Putin came to power in March 2000.
At this point nothing surprises me. I think if he could get away with it Trump would throw critical journalists in prison without hesitation. He’s a dictator at heart and only restrained by the fact that he cannot have the power he wants without serious opposition.
