McCain slams Trump: 'The first thing that dictators do is shut down the press.'

Berlin

A FREE and at times adversarial press is essential "if you want to preserve democracy", Republican Senator John McCain said in response to US President Donald Trump's description of the media as the enemy of the American people.

Mr McCain joined German Chancellor Angela Merkel in pushing back against the president's latest criticism of the mainstream media.

Mr Trump's comment was "deeply concerning", said Representative Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee.

Dictators "get started by suppressing free press", Mr McCain said in an interview with NBC'sMeet The Press, adding that he wasn't saying Mr Trump aims to become a dic…