United Nations Expert: Trump's attacks on media may lead to real violence

In a joint statement, United Nations Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression David Kaye and Edison Lanza, who holds the same post at the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, said President Donald Trump's verbal attacks on the media run the risk of triggering real violence against journalists -- and violate the basic norms of press freedom. “These attacks run counter to the country’s obligations to respect press freedom and international human rights law,” they said.  The freedom of expression experts said Trump’s attacks on the press were designed to raise doubts about verifiable facts, and that he and his administration had sought to undermine reporting on potential illegal conduct. “But he has failed to show even once that specific reporting has been driven by any untoward motivations,” Kaye and Lanza said.