Michigan man threatened to “gun the fuckin’ CNN cast down”

A Michigan man has been arrested after making an “egregious” death threat against CNN employees, and some people are blaming Donald Trump’s constant media-bashing.

Brandon Griesemer made at least 22 threatening phone calls to the news network’s Atlanta headquarters, on its publicly listed number, on Jan. 9 and 10, according to authorities — spewing anti-Semitic remarks, using the N-word to describe employees, calling them “fake news,” and telling workers he would come “to gun you all down,” according to court documents obtained by ABC News.

"You are going down. I have a gun and I am coming to Georgia right now to go to the CNN headquarters to fucking gun every single last one of you,” the caller said during one call on Jan. 9. “I have a team of people. It's going to be great, man. You gotta get prepared for this one, buddy.”

He rang back minutes later, saying: "I am on my way right now to gun the fuckin' CNN cast down," the caller reportedly continued. "Fuck you."

Thirty minutes after that, Griesemer called back again, saying: “I'm smarter than you. More powerful than you. I have more guns than you. More manpower. Your cast is about to get gunned down in a matter of hours.”

The network said in a statement that it takes "any threats to CNN employees or workplaces, around the world, extremely seriously. This one is no exception. We have been in touch with local and federal law enforcement throughout, and have taken all necessary measures to ensure the safety of our people.”

CNN producer and news editor AnneClaire Stapleton said threatening phone calls are a daily occurence in CNN newsrooms, but this particular series of calls “was just especially egregious.”

Griesemer has admitted to calling the Islamic Center of Ann Arbor in September and making “derogatory comments relating to the mosque and Muslims.”

After the CNN calls, Griesemer was arrested and released on bond on a charge of transmitting interstate communications with the intent to extort and threat to injure, NBC reported.

Some people have linked his actions to the constant barrage of “fake news” accusations laid against the mainstream media by Donald Trump and his supporters

CNN contributor Ana Navarro said: “This is why Trump’s words and tweets, and his memes showing violence against the press, matter.”

Among regular rants against mainstream media, Trump has frequently accused CNN of spreading “fake news” about his administration. In July he was heavily criticized for tweeting a video showing him body-slamming and punching CNN, and in August he retweeted an image of a “Trump Train” running over CNN.