Trump Says ‘Fake News’ Not as Powerful as Social Media, Predicts Industry Will Go out of Business After He Leaves Office

President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, on July 9, 2019. Alex Wong/Getty Images

President Donald Trump took aim at “fake news media” in a Twitter rant on July 11, ahead of a social media summit scheduled later in the day at the White House, which will discuss perceived censorship on social media platforms.

“The White House will be hosting a very big and very important Social Media Summit today. Would I have become President without Social Media? Yes (probably)! At its conclusion, we will all go to the beautiful Rose Garden for a News Conference on the Census and Citizenship,” Trump said in the first of a series of tweets.

“A big subject today at the White House Social Media Summit will be the tremendous dishonesty, bias, discrimination, and suppression practiced by certain companies. We will not let them get away with it much longer. The Fake News Media will also be there, but for a limited period,” he continued.

He then went on to say social media is more important and powerful than “fake news” and warned that media outlets could go out of business for “lack of credibility or approval from the public” after he leaves office.

“The Fake News is not as important, or as powerful, as Social Media. They have lost tremendous credibility since that day in November, 2016, that I came down the escalator with the person who was to become your future First Lady. When I ultimately leave office in six years, or maybe 10 or 14 (just kidding), they will quickly go out of business for lack of credibility, or approval, from the public,” he said.

“That’s why they will all be Endorsing me at some point, one way or the other,” he added.

In the same thread, Trump then went on to criticize 2020 Democratic presidential candidates former vice president Joe Biden, South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg, and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) while using their nicknames.

“Could you imagine having Sleepy Joe Biden, or [AlfredENeuman99], or a very nervous and skinny version of Pocahontas (1000/24th), as your President, rather than what you have now, so great looking and smart, a true Stable Genius! Sorry to say that even Social Media would be driven out of business along with, and finally, the Fake News Media!” he concluded.

Trump is expected to deliver remarks at the social media summit billed as a gathering of “digital leaders,” where invitees are expected to discuss the suspected suppression of conservative voices on social media.

Facebook told Reuters that it had not been invited, while Twitter and Reddit declined to comment to the news wire. Alphabet Inc’s Google also did not respond to requests for comment.

Social media was a key component of Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign and Trump has been actively using it throughout his presidency. The president and other Republicans have long claimed that online platforms employ tactics to silence their voices, allegations that major social media companies have denied.

Reuters contributed to this report.