President Donald Trump's approval rating is at 43.2 percent, according to the RealClearPolitics polling average, which takes the average of nine major polls. | AP Photo/Andrew Harnik White House Trump says decreasing media favorability is a 'great achievement' of his presidency

Donald Trump said Wednesday that one of his great achievements as president is lowering the media's favorability among Americans, claiming a victory in his crusade against what he considers unfair press coverage at the same time that CNN is suing his administration to restore one of its reporter's revoked White House credentials.

The president, in an interview with the Daily Caller on Wednesday, said he believes Americans are starting to see many media outlets — Trump named CNN, ABC, CBS and NBC — as "fake news."


"You look at what’s going on with the fake news and the people get it," the president said. "And you know, they had a very high approval rating before I became president and I think it’s actually a great achievement of mine."

"Their approval rating now is down as low as just about anybody," the president continued.

The president has long had a contentious relationship with media, often labeling press coverage he does not like as "fake news." Egged on by the president, supporters at Trump's rallies also heckle reporters, sometimes chanting "CNN sucks." Trump also argued at a press conference last week with CNN‘s Jim Acosta, refusing to answer the reporter's questions in an exchange that prompted the administration to revoke Acosta's press credentials. CNN has since filed a lawsuit against the president and other top White House officials to have those credentials returned.

Fifty-five percent of Americans trust national news networks, according to a Poynter Media Trust Survey released in August. In regards to national newspapers, 59 percent trust them, with 47 percent trusting online-only organizations.

Trump also claimed that media approval rating is "much lower than your president."

The president's approval rating is at 43.2 percent, according to the RealClearPolitics polling average, which takes the average of nine major polls. That same polling average showed a 52.9 percent disapproval of Trump's handling of the presidency.

"I actually have good approval ratings, which nobody ever writes," he said.