Donald Trump ignored even his own calls for civility and unity in politics in the wake of the pipe-bomb campaign, unleashing on Friday night a defiant attack on the media and “radical socialist” Democrats at his latest rally in North Carolina.

In front of a crowd of about 8,000 supporters at the Bojangles’ Coliseum sports arena, Trump castigated the TV and press reporters lined up in front of him. He reprised the phrase “fake news” that he notably refrained from uttering on Wednesday at his previous rally in Wisconsin just hours after a mail bomb was delivered to CNN’s studios in New York.

“We have seen an effort by the media in recent hours to use the sinister acts of one individual to score political points against me and the Republican party,” he said. “The media’s constant unfair coverage, deep hostility and negative attacks only serve to drive people apart and to undermine healthy debate.”

His comments incited loud chants of “CNN sucks” from the crowd.

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The US president also returned to several of his most vitriolic attack lines against Democratic political opponents, despite the fact that the attempted mail bombs had been exclusively targeted, allegedly by an avowed Trump supporter, against leading liberal figures including several of those he demeaned. He referred to “Crooked Hillary” in a reference to Hillary Clinton, who was posted one of the 14 explosive devices intercepted since Monday, which in turn provoked loud chants of “Lock her up!”

He also denigrated “Cryin’ Chuck Schumer”, the Democratic minority leader in the US Senate, and criticized Nancy Pelosi, Schumer’s equivalent in the House of Representatives. Trump held back from attacking the Democratic Congress member Maxine Waters, whom he has frequently described in public as having a “low IQ”, saying: “I’m gong to be nice tonight so I won’t say it.”

On Friday, the suspect in the string of attempted attacks, Cesar Sayoc, 56, was arrested in Florida. Later in the day he was charged with five federal crimes, which carry a possible sentence of up to 48 years in prison. The charges cover 13 devices sent to individuals including Barack Obama. A 14th device was reported by the billionaire Tom Steyer later on Friday.

Sayoc is a registered Republican and an apparent fervent Trump supporter. His white van was covered in Trump paraphernalia and he had posted video of himself attending a Trump rally during the 2016 presidential campaign in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Trump’s unrestrained invective against his political opponents and the mainstream media made a mockery of his own call, only moments earlier at the Charlotte rally, for civility and unity. “Everyone will benefit if we can end the politics of personal destruction – we must unify as a nation in peace, love and harmony. Political violence must never be allowed in America and I will do everything in my power to stop it.”

Even before Trump arrived in North Carolina he was hinting that in his opinion it was time to end the relative unofficial truce that had been held since the pipe bombs were revealed on Wednesday and that the gloves might come off. Speaking to reporters on the South Lawn of the White House before departing for Charlotte on Marine One, he was asked whether he would tone down his rhetoric in the interests of national healing and bipartisanship.

“Well, I think I’ve been toned down, if you want to know the truth,” he said. “I could really tone it up. Because, as you know, the media has been extremely unfair to me and to the Republican party.”