Even Fox News is defending CNN's Russia story

Donald Trump blocked several news outlets from a White House press briefing yesterday with press secretary Sean Spicer. The banned list included the BBC, New York Times and CNN.

And, of course, Trump’s decision has been heavily criticised – even by an outlet that was exempt from the ban.

Fox News anchor Shepard Smith has defended the network’s rival CNN, and responded to Trump’s repeated accusations of “fake news” in the media.

He said:

For the record, ‘fake news’ refers to stories that are created, often by entities pretending to be news organisations, solely to draw clicks and views and are based on nothing of substance.

In short, ‘fake news’ is made-up nonsense delivered for financial gain.

Trump accused CNNof being “fake news” when the media outlet reported on his campaign team's links with Russian intelligence officials.

CNNthen reported that Trump's chief of staff, Reince Priebus, asked FBI officials to publicly deny stories about the accusations.

Smith has defended CNN’scoverage of the story.

He said:

CNN’s reporting was not fake news.

Its journalists follows the same standards to which other news organisations, including Fox News, adhere.

Senior administration officials regularly speak without attribution so that the public can be informed of what our government is doing — off the record.

Just as CNN reports,  Priebus sent officials to speak off the record against the Russia/Trump campaign reporting.

Smith added:

This White House does not seem to value an independent press.

There is a word for that line of thinking: The word is ‘un-American.’

Now that calls for a mic drop.

Here’s the clip:

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