14 'What just happened?' White House media moments that shocked us in 2017

The top 7 media stories of 2017
The top 7 media stories of 2017

Looking back at year one of the Trump presidency, we all remember "alternative facts" and "covfefe" and the president's claim that major TV networks are the "enemy of the American people."

But do you remember "Holocaust centers" and "last night in Sweden" and Trump's tweet of a meme showing CNN logo being hit by a "Trump train?"

Some of the year's shocking, strange and just plain funny moments have already faded from consciousness.

Do you remember these "did that really just happen" moments?

1. While speaking to members of the U.S. military, Trump wrongly accused the press of intentionally downplaying terrorist attacks. He said "radical Islamic" attacks were "not even being reported."

2. Kellyanne Conway cited a nonexistent "massacre" in Bowling Green, Kentucky, to justify the administration's temporary travel ban.

3. At the National Prayer Breakfast, Trump said Arnold Schwarzenegger's version of "The Apprentice" was a "total disaster," and "I want to just pray for Arnold, if we can, for those ratings, OK?"

4. In late February, the White House blocked CNN, The New York Times and several other outlets from attending one of Sean Spicer's off-camera briefings. There was an outcry, and it did not happen again.

5. In early January, before his inauguration, Trump saw a CNN segment about the network's book about his election victory, then tweeted that he didn't like the photo on the cover.

6. When the Trump White House complained about the coverage of his inauguration crowd size, Trump even misstated the inauguration weather. He said the skies became "really sunny" after his speech, when in fact it remained cloudy.

7. During an interview in May, Trump asked reporter, Salena Zito: "Why was there the Civil War? Why could that one not have been worked out?"

8. In February, Conway stood in the briefing room and told Fox viewers to "go buy Ivanka's stuff."

9. "You should all send your kids to Lego Batman," said Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, an executive producer of the movie.

10. Spicer seemingly referred to Nazi concentration camps as "Holocaust centers," and later apologized.

11. At a press conference in February, Trump falsely said he had the biggest electoral college victory since Ronald Reagan. NBC's Peter Alexander looked up the facts on his phone, read it to the president, and asked "Why should Americans trust you?" Trump did not give a reason. His excuse was "I was given the information."

12. David Clarke, a sheriff who regularly appeared on Fox to support Trump, declined an interview request from CNN by saying, "Trump has labeled CNN as fake news. When Pres. Trump says CNN is ok again, then I might."

13. In February, Swedes were baffled when Trump brought up "what's happening last night in Sweden," implying some sort of terror attack had happened there, because he had watched a Fox segment about immigrant violence.

14. Last but not least: You're gonna think I'm making this up, but I'm not. Trump told "Fox & Friends" in January that "I don't like tweeting." He said it un-ironically!

A version of this story first appeared in CNN's "Reliable Sources" newsletter. Sign up here!

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