CNN's Jim Acosta called President Trump "the king of fake news" at a forum on press freedom, saying "it's just a fact." Acosta was responding to a question about the president attacking the media with accusations of "fake news" on a panel with fellow White House correspondents at the Newseum, a Washington institution, on Wednesday night.



Coincidentally, the president announced the winners of the '2017 Fake News Awards' on the RNC website that evening. CNN took home four awards.



According to Accuracy in Media, the forum also included what the Newseum called the 'Press Oppressor Awards,' using the opportunity to give "Trump the Overall Achievement in Undermining Global Press Freedom." Fellow panelists included Melinda Henneberger of The Kansas City Star, FOX News' John Roberts, and April Ryan.











"I don't want people to think that I am saying that because I have an ax to grind or I am here to criticize or be political or have an agenda or whatever you were saying earlier," Acosta said.



His full remarks:





JIM ACOSTA, CNN: I would say, having been called fake news myself, that the President of the United States is the king of fake news. He is the king of fake news.



He said Barack Obama was not born in this country. He said Mexican are rapists and criminals. He has said many things. He has said he lost the election because undocumented people voted by the millions. He said that he had the largest inauguration crowd of all time. The list goes on and on.



I don't want people to think that I am saying that because I have an ax to grind or I am here to criticize or be political or have an agenda or whatever you were saying earlier, it's just a fact.



It's unfortunate that the president has sunk to that level where he has to go around issuing these kinds of awards. It's just not what you would think would happen in this country.