President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday said that all he wants from the media is "honest reporters" and that his only recommendation is for people in the press to have a "moral compass."
Trump spent much of his first press conference since getting elected slamming the site Buzzfeed for publishing an unverified dossier purporting wide-ranging indiscretions about the president-elect.
"As far as Buzzfeed, which is a failing pile of garbage, writing it," said Trump — misspeaking that the quasi-news site wrote it when it actually just published the same dossier that has reportedly been circulating among many media companies.
"I think they're going to suffer the consequences. They already are," Trump said.
When asked what reforms Trump would recommend for the media, Trump said he's not in the business of suggesting reforms.
"I don't recommend reforms. I recommend people that are — that have some moral compass," Trump said. "I've been hearing more and more about a thing called 'fake news,' and they're talking about people that go and say all sorts of things. I will tell you, some of the media outlets that I deal with are fake news. More so than anybody.
"I could name them, but I won't bother, but you have a few sitting right in front of us. They're very, very dishonest people, but I think it's just something we're going to have to live with," Trump said. "I've seen people destroyed. I've seen people absolutely destroyed, and I think it's very unfair. All I can ask for is honest reporters."
At one point, Jim Acosta, a reporter at CNN, raised his hand to ask Trump a question but was repeatedly rebuffed by Trump:
Acosta: "Since you are attacking our news organization …"
Trump: "Not you."
Acosta: "Can you give us a chance?"
Trump: "Your organization is terrible."
Acosta: "You are attacking our news organization, can you give us a chance to ask a question, sir? Sir, can you …"
Trump: "Quiet."
Acosta: "Mr. President-elect, can you say …"
Trump: "Don't be rude."
Acosta: "Can you give us a question since you're attacking us? Can you give us a question?"
Trump: "Don't be rude. No, I'm not going to give you a question. I'm not going to give you a question."
Acosta: "Can you state …"
Trump: "You are fake news."
CNN soon fired back, issuing a statement contrasting its "carefully sourced reporting" with BuzzFeed's publication of "unsubstantiated memos."
Reuters contributed to this report.
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