Trump says his negative media coverage is 'illegal'

Washington: President Donald Trump on Friday bashed US media coverage that he claimed was unduly negative and therefore illegal, stoking a debate ov...

Washington: President Donald Trump on Friday bashed US media coverage that he claimed was unduly negative and therefore "illegal," stoking a debate over free speech following the suspension of comedian Jimmy Kimmel's TV show by ABC.

"They'll take a great story and they'll make it bad. See I think it's really illegal, personally," Trump, who has sued multiple major news organizations this year, told reporters gathered in the Oval Office.

The 79-year-old Republican, an avid television watcher, chiefly focused his diatribe on US television networks, reiterating a claim that coverage of him and his administration is "97 percent bad."

He also defended the head of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Brendan Carr, whose threats against broadcasters have sparked a national debate over free speech and caused some unease even among Republicans.

Carr on Wednesday criticized Kimmel's remarks on the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk and threatened broadcasters who carry his show with possible sanctions.