How far could Trump’s war against the media go?

Donald Trump’s belief that “the news media are enemies of the people” is backed by almost half of his support base, with a poll revealing 43% of Republicans think the president should have the power to shut down press outlets.

The Ipsos poll found 48% of self-identified Republicans agree “the news media is the enemy of the American people” while more than four in ten think Trump should be allowed to take action against certain publications “engaged in bad behavior”.

USA Today says the poll “emphasises the clear divide between party lines when it comes to the role of the media and its coverage of the Trump administration”, with 80% of Republicans believing most news outlets have a liberal bias compared to just 23% of Democrats.

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“The findings present a sobering picture for the fourth estate,” says The Daily Beast, and “also illustrate the extent to which Trump’s anti-press drumbeat has shaped public opinion about the role the media plays in covering his administration”.

They provide evidence of the public’s overall declining faith in media to accurately report the news, “a well-documented trend that began long before Mr Trump, but appears to have been exacerbated during his rise to power”, says The Independent.

Analysis of Gallup polling over the past 40 years, found public trust in the media has fallen from 72% in 1976 to just 32% when Trump came to power.

The billionaire businessman repeatedly targeted the media in the run-up to the 2016 presidential election, and has ramped up his attacks since assuming office; dismissing swathes of US reporting - from the size of his inauguration crowd to coverage of the Russia election-meddling investigation.

Last month he deployed truly Orwellian language by telling a convention for military veterans: “Just remember, what you’re seeing and what you’re reading is not what’s happening.”

Critics say this has created a mob-like mentality among Trump supporters towards the media at various rallies, with growing concern it could lead to specific journalists being physically targeted.

“But there were kernels of positive news for the press in the survey as well,” says the New York Post.

While the president’s attacks on the press may appear to be having a negative impact on public faith in media, Americans still acknowledge the importance of a fair and free press, with 86% of the US public believing “freedom of the press is essential for American Democracy”.