Second, he has attacked democratic institutions such as the free press and the independent judiciary. He has repeatedly dismissed credible, corroborated, truthful reporting as "fake news." But Trump has also maligned judges in highly personal and reckless ways simply because they ruled against his administration. His White house claimed that some judges (who were simply doing their job) provided a "gift to the criminal gang and cartel element in our country." He has called others "so-called judges" and claimed that it would be the fault of the courts if a terrorist attacked occurred during his presidency. This incendiary language is unacceptable and erodes public trust in checks and balances that are at the core of the U.S. democratic system.