Donald Trump has accused the media of trying to “score political points” by reporting on the suspect arrested in connection with the mail bomb scare targeting CNN and high-profile Democrats.
Mr Trump launched another attack on the press for coverage of the suspect accused of sending a series of pipe bombs to the president's critics – including Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.
Speaking at a political rally in North Carolina on Friday night, Mr Trump called for an end to the “politics of personal destruction".
He told supporters: “We have seen an effort by the media to use the sinister actions of one individual to score political points against me and the Republicans.”
His address came just hours after Cesar Sayoc, 56, was arrested in Florida after at least 13 packages containing explosive devices and pipe bombs explosive devices were sent to a number of targets – including Democrat donor George Soros and actor Robert de Niro.
Just hours after the arrest, Mr Trump lashed out at the media, as well as his 2016 opponent Mrs Clinton, calling her “Crooked Hillary”, which prompted a round of “Lock her up” chants.
His comments also incited frequent chants of “CNN sucks” from the crowd.
The discovery of an explosive device prompted the evacuation of CNN’s offices in New York on Wednesday. A second scare on Thursday evening saw another partial evacuation.
The president has been on a rally blitz hoping to help vulnerable Republicans ahead of the midterm elections on 6 November. He is planning at least 10 rallies before the elections.
Mr Trump had told reporters as he left Washington that he had no plans to tone down his rhetoric and added: “I could really tone it up.
“Because, as you know, the media has been extremely unfair to me and to the Republican Party.”
Earlier in the day, Mr Trump in a tweet accused the CNN of blaming him for the bomb scares.
Mr Sayoc, who has now been charged with the offence, is a registered Republican voter, according to public records.
What is believed to be Mr Sayoc’s white van was covered in political stickers celebrating Republicans and denouncing President Trump's opponents.
