President Donald Trump fulfilled his promise of calling out news media outlets for what he calls "fake news" on Wednesday, but few people were initially able to see Trump's Fake News Awards.
Most internet users received a 404 error in the first few minutes when visiting the link from the GOP's website posted by Trump.
"Despite some very corrupt and dishonest media coverage, there are many great reporters I respect and lots of GOOD NEWS for the American people to be proud of!" Trump tweeted minutes after posting the link to the awards.
Once getting past the 404 error, Trump goes into an airing of grievances against the press. He goes after popular targets, including CNN, the New York Times and the Washington Post. He avoids more complementary, right-leaning media organizations from his list.
His most popular target was CNN, which out of 10 articles he cited, four were directly against CNN.
Trump claimed, without attribution, that 90 percent of the news is negative against him.
Trump singled out 11 stories that he claimed for fake, all of which involved him:
1. The New York Times’ Paul Krugman claimed on the day of President Trump’s historic, landslide victory that the economy would never recover.
2. ABC News' Brian Ross CHOKES and sends markets in a downward spiral with false report.
3. CNN FALSELY reported that candidate Donald Trump and his son Donald J. Trump, Jr. had access to hacked documents from WikiLeaks.
4. TIME FALSELY reported that President Trump removed a bust of Martin Luther King, Jr. from the Oval Office.
5. Washington Post FALSELY reported the President’s massive sold-out rally in Pensacola, Florida was empty. Dishonest reporter showed picture of empty arena HOURS before crowd started pouring in.
6. CNN FALSELY edited a video to make it appear President Trump defiantly overfed fish during a visit with the Japanese prime minister. Japanese prime minister actually led the way with the feeding.
7. CNN FALSELY reported about Anthony Scaramucci’s meeting with a Russian, but retracted it due to a “significant breakdown in process.”
8. Newsweek FALSELY reported that Polish First Lady Agata Kornhauser-Duda did not shake President Trump’s hand.
9. CNN FALSELY reported that former FBI Director James Comey would dispute President Trump’s claim that he was told he is not under investigation.
10. The New York Times FALSELY claimed on the front page that the Trump administration had hidden a climate report.
11. And last, but not least: "RUSSIA COLLUSION!" Russian collusion is perhaps the greatest hoax perpetrated on the American people. THERE IS NO COLLUSION!
Trump's tweet comes at a critical time for the president. The government is only funded through Friday, and is facing a shutdown. Republicans are hoping to tie in immigration reform into a budget bill, which include funding for border security.
Congressional Democrats are pushing for an extension of DACA protections for dreamers.
