Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake plans to take a stand against President Donald Trumps views on the media this week.
According to CNN, the Republican senator, who is not running for re-election this year, will deliver a speech Wednesday in which he will compare Trump's thoughts on the press to the late Soviet dictator Josef Stalin.
"Mr. President, it is a testament to the condition of our democracy that our own president uses words infamously spoken by Josef Stalin to describe his enemies," reads the excerpt. "It bears noting that so fraught with malice was the phrase 'enemy of the people,' that even Nikita Khrushchev forbade its use, telling the Soviet Communist Party that the phrase had been introduced by Stalin for the purpose of 'annihilating such individuals' who disagreed with the supreme leader."
Flake, who served in the House from 2000 to 2013 and will have served one term in the Senate, also calls Trumps constant attacks on the media "an assault as unprecedented as it is unwarranted, CNN reported.
"The free press is the despot's enemy, which makes the free press the guardian of democracy," Flake's remarks say. "When a figure in power reflexively calls any press that doesn't suit him 'fake news,' it is that person who should be the figure of suspicion, not the press."
Read more at CNN.
Flake and Trump have clashed on other issues over the past year. Most recently, Flake condemned Trumps disparaging remarks about Haiti and African countries, the Deseret News reported.
My ancestors came from countries not nearly as prosperous as the one we live in today. Im glad that they were welcomed here, he tweeted.
Flake said in his retirement speech that he will continue to speak out against Trump.
I have decided that I will be better able to represent the people of Arizona and to better serve my country and my conscience by freeing myself from the political considerations that consume far too much bandwidth and would cause me to compromise far too many principles.
Meanwhile, Trump has tweeted out against Flake before, calling him weak on borders and a non-factor for the Senate, according to the Deseret News. Trump has also endorsed contenders for Flakes Senate seat. Joe Arpaio, one of Trumps allies, plans to run for the position.
According to CNN, the Republican senator, who is not running for re-election this year, will deliver a speech Wednesday in which he will compare Trump's thoughts on the press to the late Soviet dictator Josef Stalin.
"Mr. President, it is a testament to the condition of our democracy that our own president uses words infamously spoken by Josef Stalin to describe his enemies," reads the excerpt. "It bears noting that so fraught with malice was the phrase 'enemy of the people,' that even Nikita Khrushchev forbade its use, telling the Soviet Communist Party that the phrase had been introduced by Stalin for the purpose of 'annihilating such individuals' who disagreed with the supreme leader."
Flake, who served in the House from 2000 to 2013 and will have served one term in the Senate, also calls Trumps constant attacks on the media "an assault as unprecedented as it is unwarranted, CNN reported.
"The free press is the despot's enemy, which makes the free press the guardian of democracy," Flake's remarks say. "When a figure in power reflexively calls any press that doesn't suit him 'fake news,' it is that person who should be the figure of suspicion, not the press."
Read more at CNN.
Flake and Trump have clashed on other issues over the past year. Most recently, Flake condemned Trumps disparaging remarks about Haiti and African countries, the Deseret News reported.
My ancestors came from countries not nearly as prosperous as the one we live in today. Im glad that they were welcomed here, he tweeted.
Flake said in his retirement speech that he will continue to speak out against Trump.
I have decided that I will be better able to represent the people of Arizona and to better serve my country and my conscience by freeing myself from the political considerations that consume far too much bandwidth and would cause me to compromise far too many principles.
Meanwhile, Trump has tweeted out against Flake before, calling him weak on borders and a non-factor for the Senate, according to the Deseret News. Trump has also endorsed contenders for Flakes Senate seat. Joe Arpaio, one of Trumps allies, plans to run for the position.