Media Criticism in Political Discourse

I wanna read you a, a statement that you made about the press.

This was, uh, in 2024,

when you said that the mainstream media was, quote, "The most powerful enemy

that the United States has ever seen."

You stand by that?

Your colleagues put that on full display here today by-

Do, do you stand by that?

I'm answering the question. Your colleagues put

that on full display by

hacking around the same lies and personal-

No, no, no, no, no

... baseless attacks.

This is, this is, this is your comment.

And that's what makes the majority-

Excuse me, Mr. Chairman

... of the mainstream media-

I don't wanna have to go over my time as other colleagues have.

I've answered the question.

So if, if you could answer the question.

You could-

Do you stand by this statement?

That's a great picture. You should post it.

Do you stand by your statement?

I always do.

Um, so is it your view then that

the media is a greater enemy than Iran?

That's not what I said. I said the media

that participates in lying

like you do, and the baseless attacks on me

and my personnel and my loved ones,

is the most harmful institution to the United States of America because you don't

wanna tell the truth.

And by this, by this, uh, mainstream media

that you're accusing of lying, are you

talking about The New York Times? Are they part of the enemy?

I mean, I'm talking about the ones that you said are still looking for-

Are you talking about The... Are you talking about The New York Times?

Aren't, aren't you and them the ones still looking for-

Are you talking about-

... Russian collusion?

Ex- excuse me.

Did you find Russian collusion?

Excuse me, Mr. Chairman.

Is it in that envelope that you held up? You got that?

I need an extra minute-

Or-

... and maybe continuing as long as he, he-

Or what about those-

... uh, film blisters

... illegal FISA warrants when we and I were on the House Select Committee

together?

You can, you can, you can... I'll stipulate for the record all the

insults he wants

to make later, but I don't, I don't wanna have to go over my time,

but I-