Not surprising in the least. Trump is engaged in a war with the concept of a free press. When he attacks the media and calls them "fake news" it isn't just an example of how famously thin-skinned he is, it also signals to his base of poorly educated white voters that disparaging the media is a normal, even patriotic thing to do. Trump is sowing the seeds of totalitarianism. It's hard to believe that the self-proclaimed "Land of the free" could fall for such a preposterous and transparent demagogue, but it appears that close to 40% of Americans approve of Trump. 

I maintain that many Republican lawmakers will soon reach the point where supporting their president becomes impossible. I truly believe he will be ousted before the end of this year.