White House demands an apology from The New York Times

Washington: Slamming The New York Times for inaccurate reporting, the White House has said that the popular American daily owes an apology to the US President Donald Trump. "I would say that story was so riddled with inaccuracies and lies that they owe the President an apology for the way there were just literally blatant factual errors.

"And it's unacceptable to see that kind of reporting or so-called reporting. That is literally the epitome of fake news," White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer told reporters travelling with Trump abroad Air Force One from Tampa to Andrews Air Force base.

"I don't think the President owns a bathrobe, or definitely doesn't wear one. There was no meetings in conference..from top to bottom, it made up stories that just don't exist," he said blasting The New York Times for a lead story it published yesterday on the internal differences within the White House staffers.

"When Mr. Trump is not watching television in his bathrobe or on his phone reaching out to old campaign hands and advisers, he will sometimes set off to explore the unfamiliar surroundings of his new home," the daily reported.

Clashes among staff are common in the opening days of every administration, but they have seldom been so public and so pronounced this early, it added. "I think that's unfortunate for people that look to news institutions like that for their news because it is just not an accurate portrayal of what's really happening," he said.

The President, he added, is briefed on all aspects. "The President is clearly aware of the policies that come out of the White House with his name on it. "When it comes to decisions and policy, it's the President who leads, the President who tells us how to implement it," Spicer said in response to a question.