FIRST AMENDMENT? WHAT FIRST AMENDMENT?
Trump to Order DOJ to Investigate Author of Anonymous Op-Ed – and Possibly Sue NY Times Too

President Donald Trump says he will ask the Dept. of Justice to investigate who wrote the damning anonymous op-ed that’s made headlines for days – and made the president furious. He will also ask the DOJ to investigate the New York Times, possibly including suing the paper, according to various reports.
Reports from Air Force One: @realDonaldTrump telling press he wants AG Sessions to investigate who wrote anonymous NYT column about him (on what grounds? violating the 1st amendment guarantee of free speech?)
— Andrea Mitchell (@mitchellreports) September 7, 2018
Trump tells reporters on Air Force One he is looking into taking action against the @nytimes. “We’re going to see. I’m looking at that right now,” he says, per @steveholland1
— Jeff Mason (@jeffmason1) September 7, 2018
The president supported his actions by claiming national security is at stake.
FARGO, N.D. (AP) — Trump says Justice Dept should investigate identity of anonymous NY Times op-ed writer, cites national security concerns.
— Jonathan Lemire (@JonLemire) September 7, 2018
There is no national security threat for a senior White House official to pen an anonymous op-ed if they did not reveal information related to national security, which it did not.
Some on social media noted the irony of the current president attacking the First Amendment and the mainstream media, while former President Barack Obama was delivering a speech on democracy, being aired live at the same time.
Quite a split-screen moment here –> Obama talking about American democracy on edge just as Trump tells reporters aboard AF1 that he wants DOJ to investigate anonymous op-ed.
— Philip Rucker (@PhilipRucker) September 7, 2018
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