‘When somebody says something about me, I am able to go bing, bing, bing and I take care of it. The other way, I would never get the word out’
Donald Trump has defended his use of Twitter and admitted he believes he would not have won the presidency without it.
The US leader said social media was a “tremendous platform” that allowed him to bypass what he claimed was unfair media coverage and speak directly to voters.
Mr Trump regularly uses Twitter to mount vigorous attacks on political opponents, news outlets and people who have criticised him, often sending out posts in early-morning or late-evening flurries
What has Donald Trump tweeted now?
Even leaders of his own Republican Party have urged him to rein in his Twitter usage and Mr Trump admitted some friends have suggested his use of social media could damage him.
But he said: “I doubt I would be here if it weren’t for social media, to be honest with you.”
In an interview due to air on the Fox Business Network channel, the President added: “Tweeting is like a typewriter – when I put it out, you put it immediately on your show.
“When somebody says something about me, I am able to go bing, bing, bing and I take care of it. The other way, I would never be get the word out.”
Earlier this month, Republic Senator Bob Corker warned Mr Trump’s provocative rhetoric risked setting the US “on the path to World War Three”.
Mr Trump had previously used Twitter to wage a personal war of words with Mr Corker.
“Senator Bob Corker ‘begged’ me to endorse him for re-election in Tennessee. I said ‘NO’ and he dropped out (said he could not win without my endorsement),” the President wrote after the senator criticised his response to white supremacist violence in Charlottesville.
The Independent US