Karl Rove on Monday said President Trump Donald John TrumpSteele Dossier sub-source was subject of FBI counterintelligence probe Pelosi slams Trump executive order on pre-existing conditions: It 'isn't worth the paper it's signed on' Trump 'no longer angry' at Romney because of Supreme Court stance MORE should "tone down" his attacks on the media.

“I think this is over the top," the GOP strategist, who served as a top adviser to former President George W. Bush, said on Fox News. "Every president has problems with the media. I was in the White House for seven years - I didn’t like the coverage they gave George W. Bush, particularly the liberal New York Times."

"But I think the president is better if he makes his case on a case-by-case basis, that is to say, when they say something that is wrong, he ... respectfully disagrees with them," Rove said.

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Rove added that Trump's escalating attacks on the media "grate on" him because his language echoes Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin, who also used to refer to the press as the "enemy of the people."

"I grew up during the time of the Cold War and that is a phrase that was used by Stalin against the enemies of the Communist regime," Rove said.

"I think the president would be well-advised to tone down the rhetoric," Rove added.

Trump in recent days has ramped up attacks on "fake news," accusing journalists of causing war, lying incessantly and being "horrible, horrendous people." His supporters at rallies have frequently broken into the chant "CNN sucks," referencing the network that Trump most often targets.

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders last week refused to say that the press is not the enemy of the people. In a heated back-and-forth with CNN's Jim Acosta, whom Trump has targeted multiple times, Sanders listed her grievances with the media and said the president has made his stance on the matter clear.

The president's daughter and senior adviser Ivanka Trump Ivana (Ivanka) Marie TrumpThe Hill's 12:30 Report: Trump stokes fears over November election outcome Special counsel investigating DeVos for potential Hatch Act violation: report Trump, Biden vie for Minnesota MORE, as well as White House counselor Kellyanne Conway Kellyanne Elizabeth ConwaySpecial counsel investigating DeVos for potential Hatch Act violation: report George and Kellyanne Conway honor Ginsburg Trump carries on with rally, unaware of Ginsburg's death MORE, however, have stated in recent days that they do not think the press is the "enemy of the people."

Trump's has continued his attacks on the press after a mass shooter in June opened fire at the Capital Gazette newsroom in Maryland, killing five people and injuring several others.