Trump adviser reportedly scolds Time Warner executive over CNN coverage

President Donald Trump’s White House press conference on Thursday was not unlike that elephant. After seeing the story, Navarro tweeted: “Really, Little Jared complaining about me cuz I get under President Daddy-in-Law’s skin?”

Donald Trump again took aim at CNN Thursday in a freewheeling – and hastily planned – press conference, telling senior White House correspondent Jim Acosta that his network’s ratings are not “as good as some of the other people waiting” and again asserting that CNN is “very fake news”.

The president claimed he was referring to an entrenched “power structure” that needed attention.

I’m making this presentation directly to the American people-with the media present, which is an honor to have you this morning-because many of our nation’s reporters and folks will not tell you the truth, and will not treat the wonderful people of our country with the respect that they deserve. Trumps disarming answer: “Well I would”.

Meanwhile, Zucker, in NY hosting a long-scheduled media-day event, claimed a recent brand study showed Trump’s constant reference to CNN as “fake news” had not hurt the brand at all.

Trump said he had asked the Justice Department to investigate intelligence leaks that led to Flynn’s fall. “I sort of understand there’s a certain bias, maybe by Jeff or somebody, you know, whatever reason”.

“They wear those insults as a badge of honor, because it means they are doing their jobs”, Zucker said of his employees, according to Politico. “I guess it was the biggest Electoral College win since Ronald Reagan”.

By nominating Acosta, considered a more mainstream pick than Puzder, Trump was seen as seeking to ease some of the turmoil that has gripped his White House in his first month in office. “There’s zero chaos“, he said. His chief of staff Reince Priebus, Trump added, spends half his time “putting out lies by the press”. But it’s not clear if Trump has actually met his likely future Labor secretary in person. It’s a silly fight, but one too many in the media can’t help but get involved in, because they (understandably) take Trump’s attacks personally. You can watch his shoulder-shrugging, mealy-mouthed dismissal below.

On Thursday, he spoke at a press conference, over the media, directly to the American people. Straight from the president’s mouth. Trump also characterized the network’s coverage as having a “tone” of “such hatred”, adding: “The public doesn’t believe you people anymore”. Jake Tapper called it “unhinged”, which Colbert dismissed as “fake news”, but then he played the reaction at Fox News, and it wasn’t much more hinged. Trump is right about that, but it isn’t media dishonesty that’s the issue – it’s his own. It’s a vicious circle that seems destined to continue until one side or the other snaps out of it and decides to confront reality.