WASHINGTON • United States President Donald Trump vouched for his own character by citing his degree from the University of Pennsylvania, claiming it proves he is not as bawdy as the media portrays him.

"I think the press makes me more uncivil than I am," he told reporters on Wednesday on the South Lawn of the White House before boarding Marine One for a trip to Texas.

He added: "People don't understand. I went to an Ivy League college. I was a nice student. I did very well. I'm a very intelligent person. The fact is I think... that the press creates a different image of Donald Trump than the real person."

Mr Trump's impromptu, 15-minute news conference came as he was fending off attacks from members of his own party, namely Senator Bob Corker and Senator Jeff Flake, who announced on Tuesday that he was not seeking re-election and delivered a scathing floor speech excoriating the President.

Mr Trump's comments were in response to a question about whether he should behave more civilly.

In the next breath, however, the President returned to his attacks.

"Well, I think it's always okay when somebody says something about you that is false, I think it's always okay to fight back," he said.

WASHINGTON POST