Hayden: Trump CNN Tweet 'Outrageous Assault on Truth, Free Press and First Amendment'

Retired four-star Air Force general and former director of both the National Security Agency and Central Intelligence Agency Michael Hayden lashed out at President Donald Trump’s gushing declaration Sunday that Fox News was “much more important” than CNN.

In a Twitter post that triggered a flood of comment from followers, Hayden lamented that he’d “wasted 40 years of my life” in light of Trump’s volatile anti-CNN attack.

If this is who we are or who we are becoming, I have wasted 40 years of my life. Until now it was not possible for me to conceive of an American President capable of such an outrageous assault on truth, a free press or the first amendment.

— Gen Michael Hayden (@GenMhayden) November 26, 2017

He then went on to refer to Founding Father Thomas Jefferson’s memorable quote about a free press.

Compare to Jefferson “were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter”.

— Gen Michael Hayden (@GenMhayden) November 26, 2017

Hayden, now a principal at The Chertoff Group, also called on prominent Fox News hosts Chris Wallace, Brett Baier and Shepard Smith to “disown” the accolade from the president.

It was such a stunning statement. Smith, Wallace, Baier at Fox need to disown it

— Gen Michael Hayden (@GenMhayden) November 26, 2017

In one exchange, retired Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling, who is a CNN commentator, tweeted that he was “saddened” by Hayden’s remarks, given “those who serve this nation must continue to do so… even during … trying times.”

While I understand why @GenMhayden might be frustrated enough to say this, and I’m saddened to read this, those who serve this nation must continue to do so. We must always remember our ideals and values remain, even during those times when they are soiled or tested. https://t.co/Mm7WUslbT3

— Mark Hertling (@MarkHertling) November 26, 2017

Hayden replied “we must all continue to serve,”

And we must all continue to serve as you point out. But it was never just defense of homeland. It was also about defense of our values

— Gen Michael Hayden (@GenMhayden) November 26, 2017

and Hertling agreed, adding: “The defense and sustainment of our values is always the focus, whether we’re fighting in combat, or speaking with our personal courage against those who try to tarnish our nation’s ideas.”

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