Over the last week, Donald Trump and his administration having been dealing with the aftermath of retired Gen. Michael Flynn announcing his resignation as National Security Adviser. During a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday, Trump discussed the backlash over Flynn, once again attacking the news media in the process.
Trump on Flynn
Michael Flynn was National Security Adviser for just three weeks before he was asked to step down and resign. Flynn had been accused of illegal contact with Russian officials, which the general reportedly spoke to a Russian ambassador about lifting sanctions on the country that were previously put in place by former President Barack Obama.
The pressure mounted, and Flynn finally stepped down on Sunday night, much to the chagrin of the billionaire real estate mogul. Instead of criticizing Flynn, President Donald Trump has focused more on the source of the leaks, while accusing the media of promoting "fake news." As reported by C-SPAN on February 15, Trump didn't hold back his attack on the press.
Joining Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu for a press conference at the White House, Donald Trump was asked about the incident with Michael Flynn. "I think he's been treated very, very unfairly by the media," he said, before noting, "As I call it, the fake media in many cases." Trump's comments double down on a multiple-tweet rant on Twitter from earlier in the day where he lashed out at CNN and MSNBC for how they covered the story, before praising Fox News.
The fake news media is going crazy with their conspiracy theories and blind hatred. @MSNBC & @CNN are unwatchable. @foxandfriends is great!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 15, 2017
Donald Trump was also asked about his recent stance on Israel not expanding settlements, and he elaborated with Netanyahu just a few feet away.
"I'd like to see you hold back on settlements for a little bit," Trump said, while adding, "We'll work something out. I'd like to see a deal be made."
Moving forward
Since Michael Flynn resigned, the White House has been in damage control. Presidential Counsel Kellyanne Conway has come under fire for promoting questionable, and debunked, information during a series of news interviews, which has led to so much controversy that she is now banned from appearing on "Morning Joe" on MSNBC.
