President Trump on Friday told the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, that he never knew how mean the press could be until he got into politics.
“It wasn’t until I became a politician that I realized how nasty, how mean … how vicious, and how fake the press can be,” Trump told Klaus Schwab.
The statement elicited boos from some members of the crowd, as Trump gestured to members of the media who were in the room for his remarks. It was not immediately clear, however, whether the sounds of disapproval were directed at the president or the press.
“Overall, I have people say, ‘Well it couldn’t have been that bad because here we are.’ We’re president,” Trump said.
Trump’s criticism of the media came minutes after he wrapped up a historic speech at the summit, during which he touted his “America First” agenda and encouraged global entrepreneurs to invest in the United States.
Schwab also acknowledged the unusual treatment of Trump by the press in his introduction before the president spoke.
“You cannot imagine how much we are looking forward to your speech,” he said to Trump. “I’m aware that your strong leadership is open to misconceptions and biased interpretations.”
Trump will return to Washington late Friday after wrapping up his visit to the annual economic forum.
