President Donald Trump talks about illegal leaks that are affecting his administration and the delay tactics that he thinks are being caused by the Democratic leadership at a press conference in the East Room of the White House (Listen In)

Here is a transcript:
Q Thank you, Mr. President. I just want to get you to clarify just a very important point. Can you say definitively that nobody on your campaign had any contacts with the Russians during the campaign? And, on the leaks, is it fake news or are these real leaks?

THE PRESIDENT: Well, the leaks are real. You’re the one that wrote about them and reported them. I mean, the leaks are real. You know what they said — you saw it. And the leaks are absolutely real. The news is fake because so much of the news is fake.

So one thing that I felt it was very important to do — and I hope we can correct it, because there is nobody I have more respect for — well, maybe a little bit — than reporters, than good reporters. It’s very important to me, and especially in this position. It’s very important. I don’t mind bad stories. I can handle a bad story better than anybody as long as it’s true. And over a course of time, I’ll make mistakes and you’ll write badly and I’m okay with that. But I’m not okay when it is fake. I mean, I watch CNN — it’s so much anger and hatred and just the hatred. I don’t watch it anymore because it’s very good — he’s saying no. It’s okay, Jim. It’s okay, Jim. You’ll have your chance. But I watch others too. You’re not the only one, so don’t feel badly.

But I think it should be straight. I think it should be — I think it would be, frankly, more interesting. I know how good everybody’s ratings are right now, but I think that actually would be — I think that it would actually be better.

People — I mean, you have a lower approval rate than Congress. I think that’s right. I don’t know, Peter, is that one right? Because you know, I think they have lower — I heard, lower than Congress.

But honestly, the public would appreciate it. I’d appreciate it. Again, I don’t mind bad stories when it’s true. But we have an administration where the Democrats are making it very difficult. I think we’re setting a record, or close to a record in the time of approval of a Cabinet. I mean, the numbers are crazy. When I’m looking — some of them had them approved immediately. I’m going forever, and I still have a lot of people that we’re waiting for.

And that’s all they’re doing, is delaying. And you look at Schumer and the mess that he’s got over there, and they have nothing going. The only thing they can do is delay. And you know, I think they’d be better served by approving and making sure that they’re happy and everybody is good. And sometimes, I mean — I know President Obama lost three or four, and you lose them on the way. And that’s okay. That’s fine.

But I think they would be much better served, Jon, if they just went through the process quickly. This is pure delay tactics. And they say it, and everybody understands it. WhiteHouse.gov