Washington, July 3 (RHC)-- U.S. President Donald Trump’s tweet about CNN shows he is “thinking about violence,” says an American lawmaker as the president faces growing backlash over the move. 

Trump released Sunday a modified video showing him body-slamming CNN in a wrestling match on Twitter, in the wake of heightened tensions with the media outlet. 

"Donald Trump has had a series of highly disturbing tweets, but his last one, on Sunday morning, was beyond disturbing," said California Democratic Representative Ted Lieu on MSNBC. "We now have the president encouraging violence against the news media. He is increasing the risk that a journalist is going to get injured or get killed." 

Calling the move "wildly inappropriate," Lieu added: "It also shows that this is what's on the president's mind… He is thinking about violence.  He is thinking about assaulting a reporter."  He further suggested that such measures indicate with the president’s mental health. "And these tweets make us question that," said the lawmaker said. 

Meanwhile, the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press released a statement to censure the measure.  "We condemn the president's threat of physical violence against journalists.  This tweet is beneath the office of the presidency.  Sadly, it is not beneath this president," wrote Bruce Brown, the executive director of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press.  "No one should be threatened with physical harm for doing their jobs.  Journalists are your neighbors, they're your friends." 
 
According to a CNN spokesperson speaking to The Hill: "It is a sad day when the president of the United States encourages violence against reporters.”