Trump talks about coming up with the word 'fake'

U.S. President Donald Trump delivers a statement on the deadly protests in Charlottesville, at the White House in Washington, U.S. August 14, 2017. Reuters/Jonathan Ernst

US President Donald Trump has talked about his use of the word “fake,” saying he thought it was one of the greatest terms he used. He has often used the term in reference to the media.

In an interview with TBN host and former Arkansas Gov Mike Huckabee, Trump said he guessed other people have used the word fake before, but he never noticed it. It is not clear whether Trump was claiming that he invented the word "fake" or if he was the first person to use the phrase "fake news.”

A Mental Floss piece in March 2017 stated that the word fake began a little over 200 years ago among the flash language used by criminals in 18th- and 19th-century England in the sense of something being counterfeit or bogus. Merriam Webster states that fake news appears to have started seeing general use at the end of the 19th century.

The POTUS remarks came as he defended his administration for its response to the crisis in Puerto Rico. According to Trump, the media coverage of his trip was not fair. He specifically mentioned about reports that claimed he tossed paper towels into a crowd at a church during the visit.

“They had these beautiful, soft towels, very good towels - and I came in and there was a crowd of a lot of people, and they were screaming and they were loving everything,” Trump said, adding that he and the people were having fun. The next day, he added, it was viewed as something disrespectful.

The POTUS also accused the media of “taking away the spirit of the country.” He previously said Puerto Ricans do not believe the fake news about the White House’s response to the storm.

Ivana Trump speaks

Meanwhile, his first wife Ivana Trump said that the US leader would not be who he is today if it weren't for her. In an interview that aired Sunday, CBS News correspondent Jim Axelrod asked Ivana, "He wouldn't be who he is without you?" The latter replied that was for sure.

She also said she was "very proud" of how their three children, Donald Jr, Eric and Ivanka, handled themselves during the 2016 presidential campaign. According to her, watching her children during the campaign inspired her to write "Raising Trump.” Ivana also said she gets along with US first lady Melania Trump.