But it is not the first time Mr Trump and his most senior staff have relied on factually inaccurate or misleading news reports to justify themselves.

Here are the five times Donald Trump relied on 'fake news' to back up some of his most dubious claims.

Swedish terror 'invention' - Fox News

On February 18, Mr Trump was accused of inventing a terror attack after he urged his supporters to "look at what's happening in Sweden."

During a speech which linked migration in Europe to terror attacks, Mr Trump appeared to suggest that the country had become the latest victim of extremists.