US National Press Club president blasts Donald Trump over 'journalists should be ashamed of themselves' remark

Washington: US' National Press Club President Thomas Burr slammed Donald Trump, ripping into the presumptive Republican presidential nominee for comments he made during a combative news conference.

“Donald Trump misunderstands - or, more likely, simply opposes - the role a free press plays in a democratic society,” Burr said in response to Trump's remark on Tuesday that journalists should be “ashamed of themselves” for digging into his fundraising efforts on behalf of veterans groups.

“Reporters are supposed to hold public figures accountable. Any American political candidate who attacks the press for doing its job is campaigning in the wrong country. In the US, under our Constitution, a free press is a check on politicians of all parties,” Burr said.

Trump has repeatedly called reporters "dishonest people" and referred to one journalist as a “sleaze” while speaking to reporters at Trump Tower on Tuesday, Politico reported.

In February, the Manhattan billionaire raised alarms for warning that if he were elected president, he would work to “open up” libel laws to make it easier for public officials to sue media outlets. 

Later on Tuesday, Trump bashed his likely general-election opponent, Democrat front-runner Hillary Clinton, for not taking more questions from the media.

“I am getting great credit for my press conference today. Crooked Hillary should be admonished for not having a press conference in 179 days,” he tweeted.