An amazing moment in history: Donald Trump's press conference

Trump sparred with the press for over an hour, calling reports "fake news" but decrying the leaks that led to themHe touted his own poll numbers, victory over Hillary Clinton and discussed cable TV ratings and panel discussions

Washington (CNN)President Donald Trump launched an extraordinary denunciation Thursday of his critics and media reports that his White House is in chaos, complaining he inherited a "mess" and slamming stories that his campaign was constantly in contact with Russia as "fake news."

It will immediately go down as a stunning moment in modern American political history, as presidents have rarely betrayed such a sense of anger and grievance so graphically or so early in their administrations.

"I have never seen more dishonest media, frankly than the political media," Trump said, later slamming leaks to the press from the intelligence community -- some of which led to the resignation of his national security adviser Michael Flynn.

"The leaks are real. The leaks are absolutely real. The news is fake because so much of the news is fake," Trump said.

While it was a marked contrast with the normal dynamics of a presidential news conference, the East Room show was vintage Trump. He touted his own poll numbers, victory over Hillary Clinton and discussed cable TV ratings and panel discussions.

Source CNN