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US President Donald Trump congratulated a Republican congressman who assaulted a journalist last year with a "body slam," calling him "my guy."
"Greg is smart," Trump told Montana Congressman Greg Gianforte, adding that "by the way, never fight him".
"Any guy who can do slam … it's my guy," he said to cheer and laugh at a rally in Montana.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and the Guardian newspaper have asked Mr. Trump to apologize.
Gianforte, 56, pleaded guilty to assaulting a journalist for the British newspaper The Guardian on the eve of his election last year.
He was ordered to pay $ 385 (£ 304), complete 40 hours of community service and 20 hours of anger management counseling.
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Mr. Trump's latest praises will probably not improve his media relations, which he previously described as "enemies of the people".
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Recalling that he feared that the onslaught of 2017 would hinder Mr. Gianforte's chances of winning the special congressional election that followed, Mr. Trump told his supporters: " I said wait a moment, I know Montana pretty well, I think it could help – and that's what happened. "
After congratulating Mr. Gianforte, Mr. Trump then imitated someone thrown on the floor.
Ben Jacobs, the journalist who was assaulted after asking the candidate that he was supporting the Republican health care plan, had agreed not to sue Mr. Gianforte for justice when he wrote a letter to him. apologies and donated $ 50,000 (£ 39,500) to the Committee to Protect Journalists.
A letter sent by Mr. Gianforte to Mr. Jacobs later offered "sincere apologies".
"My physical response to your legitimate question has been unprofessional, unacceptable and illegal," he said.
Trump's comments a year later prompted the campaign group, CPJ, to apologize.
"We are once again troubled to see President Trump defend those who want to attack the press," said Courtney Radsch, Director of Advocacy at CPJ.
In a statement, the Guardian's US editor, John Mulholland, said he hoped the president would apologize for his remarks, adding, "Celebrating a journalist's attack." who was just doing his job is an attack on the first amendment [of the US Constitution] by someone who has taken an oath to defend him. "
He added that the incident "may provoke further attacks on journalists", which would take place at the same time as the alleged murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
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