Blaming media for his Ukraine woes, Donald Trump leaves UN

The US President accused reporters of ignoring his achievements

US President Donald Trump prepares to leave the room after a press conference held on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. EPA

When Donald Trump holds a press conference you don't need to worry too much. He is always interesting. But following what he says, and means, is a challenge.

In New York on Wednesday, ending three days at the UN General Assembly, the US president seemed out of sorts.

Firstly, he was disappointed that reporters ignored all of the meetings he had.

“You waste your time on nonsense,” he said, taking the podium at the Intercontinental Hotel, just a few streets away from his home in Manhattan, Trump Tower.

Hailing great talks on trade with Japan, new homes sales indicative of a good US economy and a falling oil price, Mr Trump said the outlook should be bright.

But allegations that he asked the president of Ukraine for dirt on his 2020 election rival Joe Biden hit Mr Trump hard on Tuesday, hours before he addressed world leaders. His speech lacked his usual gusto.

The following 24 hours seem to have left Mr Trump angry but not surprised.

“It's all a hoax,” he said of the impeachment inquiry announced by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, calling her and fellow Democrats people who work against the interests of the US.

“I have been up from early in the morning to late at night,” he said of his time in meetings at the UN this week. The media coverage was “really disappointing”.

There was nothing much of substance to be revealed about what had been achieved, not to the press at least.

“It's all about the election, that's all they're interested in,” Mr Trump said of his opponents in Washington.

Far from a breach of the US constitution, Mr Trump's July 25 call with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy was “beautiful ... just a wonderful conversation”.

But it has landed him in deep water. The timing, during UN week, was deliberate, the US president raged.

Reprising the language he used to condemn special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian election meddling and the conduct of Mr Trump's 2016 election campaign, impeachment is “a phoney witch hunt”.

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UNGA day 3 - in pictures

The Prime Minister of Norway Erna Solberg, left, the Prime Minister of Fiji Frank Bainimarama, second from left, the Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern, second from right, and the Prime Minister of Iceland Katrin Jakobsdottir participate in a press event at U.N. headquarters. The countries were announcing a new initiative on climate change and trade. AP Photo

Hungary's President Janos Ader, left, meets with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres during the 74th session of the U.N. General Assembly, at U.N. headquarters. AP Photo

Costa Rica's President Carlos Alvarado Quesada, left, meets with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres during the 74th session of the U.N. General Assembly, at U.N. headquarters. AP Photo

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy listens during a bilateral meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York City, New York, U.S. REUTERS

The Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern, left, talks with the Prime Minister of Iceland Katrin Jakobsdottir before a news event at U.N. headquarters. The countries were announcing a new initiative on climate change and trade. AP Photo

Chile's President Sebastian Pinera, left, meets with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres during the 74th session of the U.N. General Assembly, at U.N. headquarters. AP Photo

Thailand's Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, second from left, is swarmed for selfies after a speech at the Asia Society, during his visit to the United Nations General Assembly in New York. AP Photo

Chad's President Idriss Deby Itno addresses the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly. AP Photo

Columbia's President Ivan Duque Marquez addresses the General Debate of the 74th session of the General Assembly of the United Nations at United Nations Headquarters in New York, New York, USA. The annual meeting of world leaders at the United Nations runs until 30 September 2019. EPA

Ivan Duque, Colombia's president, speaks during the UN General Assembly meeting in New York, U.S. Colombia will give the UN a 128-page dossier that contains evidence that "demonstrates the complicity of the regime of Nicolas Maduro with terrorist cartels that attack Colombians," said Duque. Bloomberg

Barham Salih, Iraq's president, speaks during the UN General Assembly meeting in New York, U.S. During a meeting on the sidelines of the UNGA, President Trump and Salih discussed how best to enhance U.S.-Iraq partnerships in security, trade and energy. Bloomberg

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani meets with United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres on the sidelines of the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in New York City, New York, U.S. REUTERS

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe laughs as President Donald Trump speaks before signing an agreement on trade at the InterContinental Barclay New York hotel during the United Nations General Assembly in New York. AP Photo

Hassan Rouhani, Iran's president, speaks during the UN General Assembly meeting in New York, U.S. Rouhani said his government would refuse to enter negotiations with the U.S. while still under what he called "merciless economic terrorism" against its people by President Donald Trump's administration. Bloomberg

Olena Zelenska, Ukraine's first lady, left, attends the UN General Assembly meeting in New York, U.S. Donald Trump asked Ukraine President Zelenskiy to work with his personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, and the U.S. attorney general, William Barr, to "look into" Joe Biden, according to a memo documenting a call between the two leaders released Wednesday. Bloomberg

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi meets with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at the United Nations in New York. AFP

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Asked why it should be acceptable for a US president to ask a foreign leader to investigate a political opponent, Mr Biden, or his son Hunter, Mr Trump did not say it should be unacceptable.

Instead, he recalled his grievances against Mr Biden, a Democrat, and said it was he who should be investigated.

“You take a look at that call. It was perfect. There was no quid pro quo,” said Mr Trump.

Of his election three years ago? “We are the ones that played it straight.” His opponents, however, then and now, are “radical left socialists, or worse. That's pretty bad.”

The questions about Ukraine and impeachment continued to come.

Only at the end did Mr Trump seem to take a shine to the media, when a Venezuelan journalist asked him about the economic problems in her country and what was he prepared to do about President Nicolas Maduro.

“How are you doing?” Mr Trump asked.

“Pretty bad,” came the reply. “But we are going to make it.”

The US president countered: “And we are helping you.”

After a couple of rough days, Mr Trump had found a friend.