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Sean Spicer thumps the media at first press conference: 'We're going to hold the press accountable
White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer delivers a statement in the Brady Briefing Room of the White House on January 21, 2017. / AFP / MANDEL NGAN (Photo credit should read MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images)

Sean Spicer thumps the media at first press conference: 'We're going to hold the press accountable

White House press secretary Sean Spicer gave his first official press conference as White House press secretary Saturday evening, where he targeted the media for "dilerbitely false reporting" on Friday's inauguration.

First, Spicer targeted Time Magazine White House reporter Zeke Miller — who Spicer did not mention by name — for reporting Friday evening that President Donald Trump removed the bust of Martin Luther King Jr. from the Oval Office. Miller was incorrect, and quickly apologized for his error.

Spicer accepted Miller's apology on Twitter, but blasted him during the press briefing.

"This was irresponsible and reckless," Spicer said.

Second, Spicer targeted media reports of Friday's inauguration crowd size, which was widely reported to be way under that of former President Barack Obama's 2009 and 2013 inaugurations.

"Photographs of the inauguration proceedings were intentionally framed in a way, in one particular tweet, to minimize the enormous support that had gathered on the National Mall," Spicer said. "Inaccurate numbers involving crowd size were also tweeted — NO ONE HAD NUMBERS."

"This was the largest audience to ever witness an inauguration — PERIOD," Spicer later claimed. "Both in person and around the globe."

"These attempts to lessen the enthusiasm of the inauguration are shameful and wrong," Spicer added.

However, photographs of the National Mall taken during the inauguration Friday clearly show the difference in crowd size between Obama's first inauguration and Trump's on Friday.

Later during the five-minute briefing, Spicer slammed Senate Democrats for holding up the nomination of Trump's CIA nominee, Rep. Mike Pompeo (R-Calif.), who is scheduled to receive a confirmation vote in the Senate early next week.

"Senate Democrats are stalling the nomination of Mike Pompeo and playing politics with national security," Spicer said.

"That's what you guys should be writing and covering," he immediately added, directing his comments to the media. "That instead of sowing division about tweets and false narratives."

Spicer went on to explain that Trump is committed to unifying America, but accused the media of continuing to be "dishonest" and divisive.

"There's been a lot of talk in the media about the responsibility to hold Donald Trump accountable, and I'm here to tell you that it goes two ways," Spicer said. "We're going to hold the press accountable as well."

"The American people deserve better, and as long as he serves as the messenger for this incredible movement, he will take his message directly to the American people, where his focus will always be," Spicer explained, speaking of Trump.

Spicer ended the briefing by informing the media that Trump spoke with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Saturday, in addition to Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto. During his ending comments, Spicer labeled Peña Nieto the "prime minister" of Mexico. However, Mexico does not have a prime minister position.

During the entire briefing, Spicer often looked down at his lectern to read directly from a sheet of paper. He left the briefing room after his statement and took zero questions.

Watch the entire briefing below:

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