7 Things To Know From President Trump's Grab-Bag Press Conference

President Donald Trump, in a long, meandering and sometimes startlingly incoherent press conference, on Thursday renewed his attacks on U.S. intelligence agencies, critics and the media while asserting his administration was running like a "fine-tuned machine" working to fix an "inherited mess" of a country.

Trump addressed the economy, his executive orders, fake news, real news, "illegal" leaks from intelligence agents, immigration, Russian aggression, the ousting of National Security Advisor Michael Flynn, Hillary Clinton, hate crimes, North Korea, Obamacare, anti-Semitism, manufacturing and the mood of First Lady Melania Trump.

At one point he asked an African-American reporter if she'd mind setting up a meeting with the Congressional Black Caucus.

At other points, following his train of thought was difficult, to say the least. For example, answering a question about perceived Russian aggression, he said in part, "Excuse me, excuse me. When did it happen? It happened when, if you were Putin right now, you would say, 'Hey, we’re back to the old games with the United States; there’s no way Trump can ever do a deal with us.' Because the — you have to understand. If I was just brutal on Russia right now, just brutal, people would say, you would say, 'Oh, isn’t that wonderful.' But I know you well enough."

Here are just seven memorable moments (watch a full replay of the conference below):

1. Russia is a 'ruse' and the media 'should be ashamed.'

The president dismissed connections between his staff and Russian intelligence officials. He took particular exception to a report in The New York Time that said multiple members of his campaign, as well as other associates of his, had contacts with Russian officials beginning at least a year before the election and continuing until after the votes were counted.

Trump said "The press should be ashamed of itself" for printing illegal leaks. If these reports contain classified information, it may have been illegal to leak them, though the press is protected in its right to print such reports. Because of the current reporting regarding Trump's relationship with Russia, he said, it's difficult for him to develop a better relationship with President Vladimir Putin.

Trump was asked more than once whether he could say whether reports of the meetings with Russians were true. He never gave a yes or no but said, "Russia is a ruse."

2. The leaks are real, but the news is fake.

Trump, while blasting the media for reporting "fake news," has also been criticizing intelligence agencies for leaking the news the media is reporting. Example: Michael Flynn. If the leaks about him were real, what was fake about the news? a reporter asked.

Trump simply insisted that the leaks are real, but the news is fake.

How could that be if the news was based on real leaks?

"The news is fake because so much of the news is fake," was the best the president could do.

Later, he tied the answer to his broader disapproval of the press's work. He focused on the "tone" of media reports.

"The tone is such hatred," Trump said. "Tomorrow the headlines are going to be 'Donald Trump rants and raves.'"

3. Maybe a black reporter could help out.

April Ryan, an African-American reporter with American Urban Radio Networks, asked Trump if he would be meeting with the Congressional Black Caucus. "Are they friends of yours?" Trump asked before suggesting that, if Ryan didn't mind, maybe she could help set up a meeting between him and them.

The CBC later pointed out that it had already tried to set up a meeting:

4. "I inherited a mess."

Despite his insistence that the economy is doing great under his administration, he also said he took over the presidency at a very difficult time. Trump said jobs are fleeing the country and that he came into a very difficult situation.

"To be honest, I inherited a mess," he said. "It's a mess at home and abroad."

5. He listed his achievements as president so far.

He listed many of his presidential accomplishments thus far, including ending the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the one-in-two-out regulation rule, beginning work on Obamacare repeal and its replacement, the crackdown on illegal immigrants, his work appointing his Cabinet and his nomination of Neil Gorsuch for the Supreme Court.

He also noted his frustration with the courts' suspension of his executive order limiting immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries.

6. Flynn: It wasn't the act, it was the cover-up.

Trump received his first question about Flynn, who officially resigned from the role of national security adviser on Monday. He insisted that Flynn's calls with Russia, the center of the controversy surrounding his dismissal, were completely above board.

Instead, Trump said he asked for Flynn's resignation because he had misrepresented the nature of the calls to the vice president, who subsequently falsely said sanctions were not discussed with Russia. But he also blamed the media for creating a controversy about the phone call.

7. He falsely claimed he had the highest Electoral College victory since Ronald Reagan.

After Trump called the media a bunch of liars, he said that he had won the biggest Electoral College victory since Ronald Reagan. A reporter pointed out that Bill Clinton and Barack Obama had higher Electoral College wins and asked Trump to explain.

"I don't know," Trump responded. "I was given the information."

BONUS: Trump joked about shooting at the Russian spy ship off the coast of Connecticut. Read more about it on the Groton Patch.

Photo credit: YouTube/FOX News screenshot