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17 Dec 2024 15:53
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  •   Home > News > International

    Five takeaways from Donald Trump's first press conference since the US election

    In a wide-ranging Q&A with the press in Florida, the president-elect talks about topics ranging from the Middle East to the future of TikTok.


    Donald Trump has held his first press conference since his election triumph last month.

    In a wide-ranging Q&A at his Mar-a-Lago resort, he talked about topics ranging from the Middle East to the future of TikTok.

    Here are some of the takeaways.

     

    New Jersey's drone mystery

    For days, Americans have been reporting mysterious drone sightings in parts of New Jersey and several other states. 

    "Something strange is going on," Trump said, and accused the government of covering up the truth.

    "The government knows what is happening. 

    "Look, our military knows where they took off from. If it's a garage, they can go right into that garage … and I think they'd be better off saying what it is our military knows and our president knows.

    "And for some reason, they want to keep people in suspense."

    Authorities have downplayed the sightings, insisting people are often confusing planes for drones. One official told reporters at the weekend that fewer than 100 cases warranted further investigation, out of more than 5,000 reports.

    But those investigations are continuing, and federal agencies have agreed to deploy more drone detection resources to affected areas.

    "They happen to be over Bedminster," Trump said, referring to the site of his New Jersey golf club.

    "I think maybe I won't spend the weekend in Bedminster. I've decided to cancel my trip."

     

    A phone call with Netanyahu

    Trump spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu via phone on the weekend. 

    He did not go into detail about the conversation, which he described as a "recap call", but said the "real conversations will start" on January 20, when he assumes the presidency.

    "As you know, I gave warning that if these hostages aren't back home by that date, all hell is going to break out," Trump said.

    He later added: "We had a really good conversation, and I think we're going to be in a good place in the Middle East."

    Earlier, Netanyahu described the call as warm and friendly.

    Since Hamas's attack on October 7 last year, Gaza officials say Israel has killed more than 45,000 Palestinians in the enclave, in an offensive Amnesty and other rights groups have labelled a genocide.

     

    Public praise for Luigi Mangione

    Trump described the high levels of public support for Luigi Mangione, the accused killer of health insurance CEO Brian Thompson, as a "sickness".

    "I think it's really terrible that some people seem to admire him, like him," Trump said.

    "It was cold blooded, just a cold-blooded, horrible killing. 

    "And how people can like this guy, that's a sickness, actually."

    He said "fake news" may be to blame. 

    "It's hard to believe that that can even be thought of, but it seems that there's a certain appetite for him. I don't get it."

    Mr Mangione is fighting efforts to extradite him from Pennsylvania to New York, where he has been charged with murder. His lawyer has indicated he will plead not guilty to any charges brought against him.

     

    'Fake news'

    After America's ABC News agreed to pay $US15 million to settle a defamation case last week, Trump indicated he had other media outlets in his sights.

    One is the Des Moines Register, the daily newspaper in Iowa's capital city, which published a poll that suggested he was going to lose the state a few days before the election. (Trump won Iowa easily.)

    "In my opinion, it was fraud and it was election interference," Trump said of the poll. 

    "You know, she's [pollster J Ann Selzer] gotten me right always. She's a very good pollster. She knows what she was doing, and she then quit.

    "And we'll probably be filing a major lawsuit against them today or tomorrow."

    Ms Selzer has said she is "mystified" by allegations she rigged the poll. "The idea that I intentionally set up to deliver this response, when I've never done that before, I've had plenty of opportunities to do it, it's not my ethic," she told Iowa PBS last week.

    Trump also expressed confidence he would win other cases, including lawsuits against American 60 Minutes, Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward and the organisation that awards America's top journalism awards, the Pulitzer Prize board. 

    "Costs a lot of money to do it, but we have to straighten out our press," Trump said. "Our press is very corrupt, almost as corrupt as our elections."

     

    The future of TikTok

    The clock is ticking on TikTok. A nationwide ban on the app takes effect on January 19 — the day before Trump becomes president.

    But Trump indicated things could change after he takes power.

    "We'll take a look at TikTok," he said. "You know, I have a warm spot in my heart for TikTok."

    Trump said one reason he might reconsider TikTok's future is for the "youth vote".

    Referring to pre-election interviews he did with Joe Rogan and other influencers recommended by his son, Barron, Trump said: "I did those interviews — and it was actually sort of cute if you want to know the truth — but we did them, and that had an impact, but TikTok had an impact, and so we're taking a look at it."


    ABC




    © 2024 ABC Australian Broadcasting Corporation. All rights reserved

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