President Donald Trump, asked this morning why he thinks the press is not reporting on terror attacks – a stunning claim he made yesterday in a speech to military personnel – told a pool reporter, “I don’t have to think, I have to know.”

“Because I am reported on, possibly more than anybody in the world,” he said. “I happen to know how dishonest the media is. I happen to know stories about me that should be good — or bad, you know I don’t mind a bad story if it’s true. But I don’t like stories…that should be a positive story when they make them totally negative. I understand the total dishonesty of the media. Better than anybody. I let people know it.”

“The media is a very, very dishonest arm, and we’ll see what happens. Not everybody, I have to say that,” he added “But there is tremendous dishonesty, pure outright dishonesty, from the media. Let’s go into the Oval Office,” he said, indicating he was done explaining how he knows the media is not reporting on terror attacks.

The exchange happened as Trump met in the White House with sheriffs from counties around the country, to defend his controversial travel ban. “ISIS said we are going to infiltrate the United States and other countries, through migration. And then we’re not allowed to be tough on the people coming in? Explain that one.”

“Some thing are law, and I’m all in favor of that. And then, some things are common sense,” Trump said. “This is common sense,” he said of his travel ban affecting travel from seven countries. Federal judges are set to rule on whether the hold on the ban stays in place.

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