Trump being Trump in news conference

WASHINGTON • Donald Trump held his first lengthy news conference as U.S. president and it was the stuff of political legend.

10 KEY MOMENTS

How potentially starting a war would be great for approval ratings: “The greatest thing I could do is shoot that (Russian) ship that’s 30 miles off shore right out of the water. Everyone in this country’s going to say, ‘Oh, it’s so great.’ That’s not great.”

“(Mine) was the biggest electoral college win since Ronald Reagan.” In fact, the winners in 1988, 1992, 1996, 2008, and 2012 took more electoral college votes than him. When asked about the falsehood, Trump said: “I don’t know, I was given that information.”

New travel ban coming. “We’re going to put in a new executive order next week some time.”

Blasts the media. “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’s a good person: “I just see many, many untruthful things. And I’ll tell you what else I see. I see tone. You know the word ‘tone’? The tone is such hatred. I’m really not a bad person.”

He’s great for TV ratings. “I do get good ratings, you have to admit that.” He added, “I think that’d actually be better (if you were less critical).”

Ridiculed Hillary Clinton’s failed effort to improve relations with Russia: “Hillary Clinton did a reset, remember? With the stupid plastic button that made us all look like a bunch of jerks? ‘Here, (she said to her Russian counterpart), take a look.’ He looked at her like, ‘What the hell is she doing with that cheap plastic button?”’

A tale of two Acostas. Trump called the news conference ostensibly to announce his new pick for labour secretary, Alexander Acosta. He wound up spending more time sparring with CNN’s Jim Acosta. “I said, ‘Wait a minute, is there any relation there?’”

He’s asked the Justice Department to investigate leaks from his administration: “Those are criminal leaks.”

Says his administration is off to a great start: “This is a fine-tuned machine.”