US President Donald Trump on Saturday celebrated his 100 days in White House, calling out 'dishonest' media and blaming Democrats for his cabinet's failures so far amid a cheering crowd.
US President Donald Trump hit the road on Saturday to celebrate his first 100 days in the White House with cheering supporters at a campaign-style rally, touting his initial achievements and lashing out at critics.
Trump told a Pennsylvania crowd he was just getting started on meeting his campaign promises. He repeatedly attacked an "incompetent, dishonest" media, saying they were not telling the truth about his administration's accomplishments.
"My administration has been delivering every single day for the great citizens of our country," Trump said in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. "We are keeping one promise after another, and frankly the people are really happy about it."
The rally occurred on the same day as a climate march at which thousands of protesters surrounded the White House, and it also coincided with the annual black-tie White House press dinner in Washington.
TRUMP SKIPS PRESS DINNER
Trump and his staff chose to skip the press dinner because of what he said was unfair treatment by the press. Trump said he was thrilled to be away from the "Washington swamp".
"A large group of Hollywood actors and Washington media are consoling each other in a hotel ballroom in our nation's capital right now," Trump said to loud boos from the crowd. "If the media's job is to be honest and to tell the truth, the media deserves a very, very big fat failing grade."
Trump listed what he said were some of his key early accomplishments, including the successful confirmation to the US Supreme Court of Justice Neil Gorsuch and clearing away many regulations on the environment and business.
He also listed his approval of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines, killing a pending Asian trade pact, and enhanced security measures that have led to a sharp decline in illegal border crossings at the southern border.
"The world is getting the message: if you try to illegally enter the United States, you will be caught, detained, deported or put in prison," Trump said.
WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS SLAM TRUMP
Speaking at the correspondents dinner, from which Donald Trump was missing, the White House Correspondents' Association hit back at the United States President for his steady and consistent attack on the media and sent him a clear message - 'we are not fake news'.
Trump became the first US President in decades to skip out on the annual event between the White House and the reporters who cover the presidency.
"We cannot ignore the rhetoric that has been employed by the president about who we are and what we do. We are not fake news. We are not failing news organisations. And we are not the enemy of the American people." association president Jeff Mason told a ballroom of journalists who gave a standing ovation at his last sentence.
Bob Woodward of Watergate fame directed his message directly to the absent Trump and said, "Mr. President, the media is not fake news. Let's take that off the table as we proceed. Whatever the climate, whether the media is revered or reviled, we should and must persist, and I believe we will. Any relaxation by the press will be extremely costly to democracy."
TRUMP BLAMES DEMOCRATS FOR FAILURES
Trump had earlier shrugged off his failure to score major legislative victories on his core campaign promises, such as repeal and replacement of the Affordable Care Act and construction of a Mexican border wall. Trump's ban on visitors from some Muslim nations was blocked in court. He blamed Democrats for the legislative failures so far and said all of his promises would be kept eventually.
In an excerpt of an interview with "Face the Nation" of CBS, set to air on Sunday and Monday and conducted during the trip to Pennsylvania, Trump said he would "not be happy" if North Korea conducted a nuclear test. Asked if that would mean military action, Trump said "I don't know, I mean we'll see."
Trump left Washington as another in a series of protests against his administration was winding up. Thousands of marchers made their way through Washington's streets during the People's Climate March, a protest against Trump's moves to roll back environmental regulations.
Asked by reporters accompanying him to Pennsylvania what he had to say to the climate change protesters, Trump said: "Enjoy the day, enjoy the weather."
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