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I'm reading this
[article](https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/easy/k10011580241000/k10011580241000.html)
and I do not understand why the bolded **を** exists. I'm am expecting a verb
such as する, but there isn't one. How is the **を** functioning here or why is
there no verb paired with it?

> アメリカのトランプ大統領は、自分のことを悪く書く新聞やテレビ **を** 「うそのニュース」や「国民の敵」だと言っています。
>
> My Translation: American president Trump says that things like news papers
> and TV who write poorly about his matters are "Fake News".
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2018-08-24T15:04:02.060
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2018-10-06T03:56:46.940
2020-06-17T08:18:27.500
-1
30339
question
grammar particle-を
Confusing about を that has no verb in article
No verb? Isn't 「言っています」 a verb (phrase)?

> 「Person + は + Object/Another Person + を/のことを + "Name" + と/だと/って + 言う/言っている,
> etc.」

is an extremely common expression meaning:

> "(Person) calls/is calling (Object/Another Person) "(Name)"."

「言う」 means "to call" in this expression and you will keep encountering this
construct for as long as you study Japanese.

> "U.S. President Trump calls the newspapers and TV (stations) that speak ill
> of him 'Fake News' or 'enemies of the people'."
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2018-08-24T15:22:42.873
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2018-08-24T15:41:00.853
2018-08-24T15:41:00.853
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answer
The verb is だ, not 言う.

テレビを「敵」だと大統領は言う。  
The president says that the TV is the enemy.

You can replace を with が:  
テレビが「敵」だと大統領は言う。

テレビが「敵」だ(the TV is the enemy) is one sentence with だ as a verb.

大統領は言う(the president says) is another sentence.
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2018-10-06T03:56:46.940
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2018-10-06T03:56:46.940
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answer