Trump boasts he’s done more in his short time in office than ANY other President before launching sensational attack on press
Trump told reporters his approval ratings were soaring while hitting out at media coverage
DONALD Trump boasted of doing more than ANY other president since taking office before launching a sensational attack on "out of control" media.
During the boastful White House press office he claimed his approval ratings were soaring and his administration running like a "fine tuned machine, despite the fact I cannot get my cabinet approved".
During the astonishing press conference, lasting 77 minutes, he repeatedly berated journalists and hit out at individual networks, rebranding fake news "very fake news".
The unprecedented attack saw him brand the media "out of control" and "so dishonest".
The former reality TV star said: "The press has become so dishonest that if we don't talk about it, we are doing a tremendous disservice to the American people."
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He said: "I turn on the TV, open the newspapers – and I see stories of chaos, chaos. Yet it is the exact opposite."
Targeting CNN the president said "I mean, I watch CNN. It's so much anger and hatred, and just – the hatred! I mean, I don't watch it anymore.
"You have a lower approval rating than Congress."
Even the BBC came under attack, with Trump exclaiming "here's another beauty".
North America editor Jon Spel responded: "Impartial, free and fair." to which the President said: "Yeah, sure. Just like CNN, right?"
Saying he would address the public directly Trump: "I'm here to update the American people on the incredible progress that has been made in the last four weeks since my inauguration.
"We have made incredible progress I don't think there has ever been a president elected who in this short period of time has done what we've done."
Listing his achievements Trump said his approval rating was at 55 per cent and going up, that the stock market had hit record numbers and that there had been a "tremendous surge of optimism in the business world".
The president denounced media reports of a chaotic start to his administration marked by a legal fight to place a contentious ban on travellers from seven predominantly Muslim nations.
He said: "This administration is running like a fine-tuned machine despite the fact that I can't get my Cabinet approved."
He added that he would shortly be introducing a "new and very comprehensive order to protect our people."
Asked by a BBC reporter about the introduction of the ban Trump said: "The travel ban is a good example of the smooth running of government.
"We had a very smooth roll out of the travel ban, but we had a bad court, a bad decision.
"We are going to put in a new executive order next week some time."
During the conference Trump also boasted his Electoral College victory margin was the biggest since Reagan's in 1984, only to be corrected by a reporter.
After being told that both Obama and Bush had won more votes, Trump replied: "I was given that information. I don't know. I was just given it."
The ranting conference came in the middle of a week that saw Trump fire his national security adviser for lying to the vice president and a series of leaks from intelligence agencies.
He pledged to catch the leakers while hitting out at news networks reporting on them for peddling "fake news".
When questioned on this point he said: "The leaks are absolutely real. The news is fake."
In another bizarre exchange Trump cut off a reporter asking about anti-Semitic attacks in the US and declared: "I'm the least anti-Semitic person that you have ever seen in your entire life." Before dismissing the original question as "insulting".
Trump told those gathered "I'm really not a bad person" stressing that he is following through on pledges made during his campaign.
After speaking of plans to build up the country's military and strengthen borders he said: "Some of the things I'm doing probably are not popular but they are necessary for security and and for other reasons."
Trump also took the opportunity to hit out at his predecessor saying he "inherited a mess at home and abroad".
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