U.S. President Donald Trump — famous for sparing with media — has introduced a new social media account aimed at identifying and countering "fake news."
The account, launched on Monday, is named Rapid Response 47, which already has over 400,000 followers.
The name reflects its purpose — to respond quickly to media stories deemed inaccurate or biased by the administration, with "47" denoting Trump's status as the 47th U.S. president.
"The Trump administration’s creation of Rapid Response 47 is a step in the wrong direction," wrote a critic on X.
"This is unprecedented and another move toward authoritarianism."
For years, including his first term in office, Trump has called-out news media for perceived untrue and unfair covering. He has referred to "fake news" as an enemy of Americans.
Rapid Response 47 was rolled out to hold "fake news accountable."
The focus is "spotlighting lies," particularly from outlets that are critical or have reported unfavourably on the administration's policies or Trump himself.
The initial post from Rapid Response 47 was "Lets Make America Great Again," advancing Trump's campaign branding, indicating the account will serve as another means to communicate his political agenda and to dispute media coverage.
Trump's first administration also had a social media presence for rapid responses, but the new account has a sharper focus on news media accountability rather than just breaking news or updates.
The account has been met with a mix of support and skepticism.
Supporters view it as a necessary tool to combat what they perceive as biased reporting, while critics see it as an extension of Trump's alleged war on media — potentially blurring the lines between fact-checking and political spin.