Trump slams ABC News for its 'fake' reporting on plane donated by Qatar

President Donald Trump took aim Monday at ABC News for what he slammed as "fake and defamatory" coverage of the Boeing 747 aircraft that the Qatari government donated to the United States.

According to Trump, the network erroneously broadcast that the plane was delivered by Qatar to him as a personal gift.

The president claimed that, in reality, the aircraft was donated to the Air Force and the Department of Defense.

"Everyone, including their lawyers, has been told that ABC must not say that Qatar is giving ME a FREE Boeing 747 Airplane, because they are not," the president said on Truth Social.

"Instead, and as Fake News ABC fully knows and understands, this highly respected country is donating the plane to the United States Air Force/ Defense Department, AND NOT TO ME. By so doing, they are saving our country, and the American Taxpayer, hundreds of millions of dollars," he added.

President Trump also defended the Qatari government, noting that it recently pledged to invest more than $1.4 trillion in the US.

"The wonderful country of Qatar ... deserves much better than Misleading (Fake!) News," he said.

Then, Trump also recalled his recent legal victory against ABC News, which paid him $16 million after a lawsuit over defamatory statements made by host George Stephanopoulos.

"Why doesn't Chairman Bob Iger do something about ABC Fake News, especially since I just won $16,000,000 based on the Fake and Defamatory reporting of Liddle' George Slopadopolus. He was given warnings, but just couldn't be restrained by 'management.' Now I see they are at it again, and I again give these SleazeBags fair warning!" wrote Trump.

The president finally culminated his message with a new blanket criticism of the network, "ABC Fake News is one of the WORST."