U.S. President Donald Trump renewed his attack on the media and said he would decide “over the next couple of days” on a new national security adviser as he conducted what he called a “campaign” rally in Florida.
Trump also reiterated in the February 18 speech that he wants safe zones to be established in Syria and elsewhere for refugees, to be paid for by Arab countries in the Persian Gulf region.
Speaking at an airplane hangar in the Florida city of Melbourne, the president returned to many of the subjects he touched on during last year’s presidential campaign.
His most passionate theme appeared to be an attack on the media.
Trump told cheering supporters he wanted to speak to them without the filter of the "fake news."
He accused the "dishonest media" of publishing one false story after another about his administration.
He said when media outlets lie to the people, he will "never, ever let them get away with it."
On specific policy matters, Trump said he would be making a decision "over the next couple of days" on a new national security adviser, adding he was leaning toward one of the candidates he would be interviewing the next day.
White House spokesman Sean Spicer earlier said those to be interviewed during Trump's weekend trip to Florida are:
Retired Army Lieutenant General Keith Kellogg; a former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, John Bolton; Army Lieutenant General H.R. McMaster; and the superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Lieutenant General Robert Caslen.
The former national security adviser, Michael Flynn, was forced out on February 13 after revelations he misled Vice President Mike Pence about discussing sanctions with Russia's ambassador to the United States during the Trump transition period.
On Syria, Trump said specially created zones would allow refugees to safely remain in the region.
He said this would keep potential terrorists out of the United States.
"We want people that are going to be great for our country," he said. "We don't want people with bad, bad ideas."