Donald Trump just declared the media an "enemy of the American people"

President Donald Trump declared the media an "enemy of the American people" in a tweet Friday afternoon, escalating his feud with the press.

Trump initially deleted his tweet about the "FAKE NEWS media." 

But he later re-sent it with more news organizations included, as well as the removal of the word "SICK!" in all capital letters. 

Without Hillary Clinton, Trump has honed in on the media as his new enemy — taking jabs at the press every chance he can, including in a bizarre and rambling news conference on Thursday.

Trump's top strategist, Steve Bannon, a former media CEO himself, has gone as far as to call the media the "opposition party" in an interview with the New York Times.

But attacking the entire media as "fake," and labeling it the "enemy of the American people," is a dangerous precedent to set.

The Founding Fathers viewed the media as an essential part of government and society — so important that the First Amendment to the Constitution is dedicated to the freedom of the press.

That fact did not go unnoticed, with many calling Trump's tweet "disturbing" and "dangerous."

"I would hope that our leaders would never believe that any American desires to make another American an enemy," NBC's Chuck Todd tweeted. "Let's dial it back."

And while many of Trump's die-hard supporters are quick to celebrate his antagonistic tone, members of his own party appear to be growing tired of Trump's Twitter antics, such as his tweet Friday. 

Earlier Friday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said he was "not a great fan" of Trump's Twitter account, a sentiment that's been echoed by the public even before Trump took office.