White House press secretary Sean Spicer speaks to reporters en route to Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland on Feb. 6. | Getty Spicer claims media covers protests more than terrorist attacks

There are “a lot of instances” of terrorist attacks that the news media hasn’t given proper coverage to, White House press secretary Sean Spicer said on Monday after President Donald Trump said the media covers up terrorist attacks.

Spicer did not name any specific attacks that were unreported, and said the White House will “provide a list later."

“It's gotten to a point where it's not even being reported,” Trump said in an address at Central Command in Florida after listing a number of terrorist attacks about which there was significant media coverage. “And in many cases the very, very dishonest press doesn't want to report it. They have their reasons, and you understand that.”

“The president’s comments were very clear at the time,” Spicer said when pressed on what Trump meant.

Spicer then suggested that protests, which have flared up since Trump’s election, get an unfair level of news coverage.

“Protests get blown out of the water and yet an attack or a foiled attack doesn’t necessarily get the same coverage,” Spicer said. “He’s doing what he can to protect this nation.”

Spicer also took aim at the media over a recent New York Times report describing discord within the West Wing and frustration by Trump with the level of power accrued by chief strategist Steve Bannon.

“They owe the president an apology,” Spicer said of the Times, saying the article contained “blatant factual errors.”

Spicer called the piece “unacceptable,” and said there should be no doubt that Trump is in charge.

“He is the guy that calls the shots. He develops the policies, he implements the policies, he makes the key decisions,” he said.

Trump himself appeared to take issue with the article Monday morning.

“The failing @nytimes writes total fiction concerning me. They have gotten it wrong for two years, and now are making up stories & sources!” Trump wrote on Twitter.

