Donald Trump's spokesman has said the White House's intention is not to lie after a row over audience numbers at his inauguration.

Press secretary Sean Spicer also denied reports that those who had cheered Mr Trump during his appearance at the CIA's headquarters in Virginia at the weekend had been the President's supporters rather than spies.

In a long White House news conference, a reporter asked Mr Spicer: "Is it your intention to tell the truth from that podium?"

Mr Spicer replied: "I think sometimes you can disagree with the facts.

"Our intention is never to lie to you.


"We have a right to go out there and correct the record."

His comments came after he attacked the media for calling into question his claim that the audience for Mr Trump's inauguration was the "largest" ever.

Press Secretary's anger at inauguration claims

Mr Spicer defended his attacks at the latest news conference by insisting his statement had been correct as he was including viewers on live streams and social media.

"It was the most watched inaugural. Just one network alone got 16.9 million people online," he said.

"There were tens of millions that watched that online, never mind the audience that was here.

"It's unquestionable and I don't see any numbers that dispute that."

:: Under Trump, reporters who write the truth will be called a 'liar'

He later admitted he was not saying that it was the largest audience to watch an inauguration in person.

Mr Spicer defended his boss over some media reports that staff he took with him to the CIA were the ones that cheered loudly during a speech he made, while the agency's staff clapped politely.

He claimed that just 10 of Mr Trump's staff were there and "10 people didn't yell that loud".

Image: National Mall on January 20, 2017 and January 20, 2009, in Washington

Mr Spicer went on to explain why he had been forced to attack the media to defend the President, saying: "It's not just about the crowd size... there is this constant theme to undercut what support he has.

"It's just unbelievably frustrating when you are continually told it's not big enough, it's not good enough, you can't win.

"He keeps getting told what he can't do... and then he goes and does it.

"There is this constant attempt to undermine the movement that he represents."

Also, on the day Mr Trump signed an executive order taking the US out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, Mr Spicer told the news conference that Mr Trump had resigned from the Trump business empire.

White House anger at inauguration crowd 'lies'

Sky's Diplomatic Editor Dominic Waghorn said Mr Spicer had used the news conference to sound conciliatory with "what you might call a non-apology apology".

He added: "He's patched things up to a certain extent but I don't think the press will see this as a full apology. But he's trying to stress now that he is someone they can rely on. They'll have to make up their own mind about that.

"The other interesting thing about this was that he didn't take questions from the front row, the big beasts of American media... straight away. He took questions from people... from more conservative right-leaning organisations.

"The Trump White House is trying to be different."