Donald Grump
Prickly US President hits out at ‘dishonest’ media
US PRESIDENT Donald Trump insists there is “zero chaos” in his crisis-buffeted White House, railing against enemies in the media, politics and the courts in a meandering first solo news conference.
The 70-year-old vented frustrations, insisted he was “not a bad person” and wondered about a “nuclear holocaust” in a remarkable 76minute appearance as he jettisoned any semblance of presidential decorum.
“I inherited a mess. It’s a mess. At home and abroad, a mess,” Mr Trump said in a 23-minute opening monologue.
Claiming his administra- tion was “running like a finetuned machine”, Mr Trump accused the “dishonest” media of stirring up crises that have sent his approval rating plummeting. “The tone is such hatred. I’m really not a bad person, by the way,” he said. “I do get good ratings, you have to admit that.”
A recent Pew poll showed only 39 per cent of Americans believed Mr Trump was doing a good job, lower than any modern administration at the end of its first month.
In four tumultuous weeks, Mr Trump has seen his national security adviser ousted, a Cabinet nominee withdraw, a centrepiece immigration policy fail in the courts and a tidal wave of damaging leaks.
I’m not ranting and raving. I’m just telling you DONALD TRUMP
“I don’t think there’s ever been a president elected who in this short period of time has done what we’ve done,” he said.
Mr Trump again came back to his portrayal in the media. “The press honestly is out of control,” he said, while vowing to hunt down the culprits of “criminal leaks” that have exposed questionable ties between key aides and the Russian Government.
“The leaks are absolutely real. The news is fake,” he said.
Between questions about Russia, inaccurate statements and his wife, Mr Trump pondered how coverage of the press conference would look.
“Tomorrow, they will say, ‘Donald Trump rants and raves at the press’. I’m not ranting and raving. I’m just telling you. You know, you’re dishonest people,” he said.
Mr Trump signalled a new approach to how the US spoke about its defence and foreign policies.
“I don’t have to tell you. I don’t want to be one of these guys that say, ‘Yes, here’s what we’re going to do’. I don’t have to do that,” he said. “I don’t have to tell you what I’m going to do in North Korea. I’m not going to tell you anything about what response I do.”
Mr Trump was candid when asked about Russian military and the passage of a spy boat off the coast of Connecticut.
“The greatest thing I could do is shoot that ship that’s 30 miles offshore right out of the water. Everyone in this country’s going to say, ‘Oh, it’s so great’. That’s not great,” he said. “Look, it would be much easier for me to be tough on Russia, but then we’re not going to make a deal. Don’t forget, we’re a very powerful nuclear country and so are they. Nuclear holocaust would be like no other.”