President Trump suggested Monday that he could take legal action against news organizations over their coverage of Republican Sen. Roger Marshall of Kansas, warning that if he did, “they’d really be finished.”
Trump traveled to Wichita to rally for Marshall, the Republican incumbent who is facing an unexpectedly competitive race against Democrat Adam Hamilton in deep-red Kansas.
The president was repeatedly heckled by audience members during the event. One protester screamed, “I f*cking hate you!”
MARSHALL UNDER SCRUTINY
Marshall came under fire in September after The New York Times reported that the senator, who spent more than 25 years as a physician, had sued more than 700 former patients over unpaid medical bills. Some of those bills were as small as $101.
According to the report, 81 patients were arrested after missing court dates tied to the lawsuits, while others had their wages garnished.
Marshall’s office defended the practices, arguing that judges, not doctors, issue arrest warrants.
TRUMP DEFENDS MARSHALL
The president took on the revelations directly during his speech, telling the crowd Marshall had done nothing wrong.
“That man did nothing wrong. I just want to set the record straight. That should not happen to a good person, and fake ads like that shouldn’t be allowed,” Trump said.
He then turned his attention to the media.
“Ohh, I’d love to sue the media. I would love to sue,” the president said, before an audible groan. “Sullivan, we — Sullivan v. Sullivan. Oh, ho, ho. I’d like to have them change that. They would have — then they’d really be finished. They’re doing very badly now, but they’d really be finished. No, they pick up anything they can.”
“SULLIVAN V. SULLIVAN”
With his “Sullivan v. Sullivan” remark, Trump appeared to merge two separate references.
The first is this year’s Alaska Senate race, which features two candidates named Dan Sullivan.
The second is the landmark 1964 Supreme Court decision New York Times Co. v. Sullivan. That ruling established that public officials must prove a news outlet knowingly published false information or acted with reckless disregard for the truth in order to win a defamation lawsuit.
Trump’s comments suggested he would like to see that standard changed, arguing that if it were, the media would “really be finished.”
ONGOING BATTLE WITH THE PRESS
The remarks are the latest sign of the president’s increasingly combative relationship with the press.
In September, the administration barred Politico, CNN and MS NOW from the White House. That ban has since been temporarily overturned.
The Justice Department has also launched an antitrust investigation into the five major television networks. That probe came after the White House press pool suspended coverage in protest.
A HIGH-STAKES RACE IN KANSAS
Monday’s rally put a national spotlight on Marshall’s reelection bid, which has turned into a closer contest than expected in a state long considered safe Republican territory.
By standing alongside Marshall and dismissing the reports about his medical practice, Trump made clear he is firmly in the senator’s corner as he battles Hamilton for the seat.
At the same time, the president used the moment to renew his attacks on the media, signaling that his fight with news organizations remains front and center.
