Trump to CIA: Media made it sound like I had a feud with intelligence community
President Donald Trump spoke at CIA Headquarters on his first stop as the newly inaugurated commander in chief telling the intelligence agency that despite media reports he is not at war with the intelligence community.
“The reason you’re my first stop is as you know I have a running war with the media- they are among the most dishonest beings on earth, they say I have a feud with the intelligence community. The reason you’re my first stop is exactly the opposite,” Trump said.
"I am so behind you," he told CIA officials at Langley, Virginia.
Trump continued with examples of the “dishonest media” claiming they skewed attendance figures for his inauguration citing lower numbers and showing images of an empty field.
He also called out Time magazine for running a false story stating that he had removed Martin Luther King’s bust from the Oval Office when it was in fact just blocked from view by a cameraman.
Trump told the CIA that he has a great respect for the agency and believes it is “going to be one of the most important groups in the country in making us safe again.”
URGENT: We will not impose our way of life, but we will shine for others to follow - Trump https://t.co/cVbgG3xchIpic.twitter.com/a31zfkm3RX
— RT (@RT_com) January 20, 2017
"There is nobody that feels stronger about the intelligence community and CIA than Donald Trump,'' he said
He had nothing but praise for the agency highlighting their importance going forward.
“I love you, I respect you, we’re going to start winning again and you will be leading the charge,” he told some 400 officers who came in on their time off for the historic visit.
READ MORE: Intelligence insiders call Russian dossier ‘complete fraud’ – Trump
Trump’s favourable comments about the CIA come amidst a tense period with the intelligence community after he refused to accept US intel reports on Russia’s alleged interference in the election.
Just last week Trump branded outgoing CIA chief Brennan as “the leaker of fake news” after Brennan criticised him for tweeting and told him to understand the Russian threat.
Trump questioned whether the CIA director had leaked a recent unsubstantiated dossier to the media that claimed Russia had collected compromising financial or personal information about him
The CIA meeting was the new president’s first official visit to a government agency.
