Pence says he and Trump support ‘free and independent press’

by Rebecca Savransky - 02/20/17 4:22 PM ET

Vice President Mike Pence on Monday said both he and President Trump support a “free and independent press.”

“But you can anticipate that the president and all of us will continue to call out the media when play fast and loose with the facts,” Pence said during a news conference Monday from Brussels.

“The truth is that we have in President Trump someone who has a unique ability to speak directly to the American people, and when the media gets it wrong, I promise you, President Trump will take his case straight to the American people to set the record straight.”

{mosads}The president and his team often rail against the media, accusing reporters of biased and dishonest coverage.

Trump has recently taken to referring to some news organizations as “fake news.” In a tweet last week, he said the “FAKE NEWS media” was the “enemy of the American people.”

During a rally Saturday in Florida, Trump continued to escalate his feud with the media.

“I want to speak to you without the filter of the fake news,” Trump said during the rally. “The dishonest media, which has published one false story after another with no sources, even though they pretend they have them — they make them up in many cases. They just don’t want to report the truth.”

Trump pointed to past presidents including Thomas Jefferson and Andrew Jackson, claiming they, too, fought with the media.

“When the media lies to people, I will never, ever, let them get away with it. I will do whatever I can that they don’t get away with it,” he said. “They have their own agenda and their agenda is not your agenda.”

Tags Mike Pence