DONALD Trump has launched another inflammatory attack on the “lying” media while members of his own party called on him to act on claims that Russia interfered in the US presidential elections.

In a “campaign” rally which appeared designed to whip up a frenzy against the press, the US President railed against the “dishonest” media and its “fake news” which he said was part of a corrupt system.

His speech at the rally in Florida at the weekend followed a rambling press conference on Thursday when he also attacked the “failing” media for “lying” that his administration was in chaos when it was actually running “like a fine-tuned machine”.

After flying into Florida on Air Force One, where reporters claimed he had been friendly and chatty, Trump began his onslaught in an airport hanger, claiming the media was full of lies about his presidency.

To cheers from his supporters he pledged to “never, ever let them get away with it”.

In a scene that echoed his frenetic election campaign rallies, he said he was campaigning to “make America great again” adding that this wasn’t easy “especially when we’re also fighting the press and the media”.

His listeners waved banners reminiscent of his election campaign with one reading “Hillary for prison”, referring to his Democrat presidential rival Hillary Clinton and the controversy over her private emails.

So far Trump has ignored calls – even from within the Republican Party – to act over claims that Russia interfered in the election campaign by hacking into Democrat emails and manipulating social media sites.

Yesterday, senior Republican senator Lindsey Graham told a security conference in Munich that there should be sanctions against Russia in protest at the interference.

The South Carolina representative told world leaders, defence officials and diplomats that there should be “consequences” before the elections in Germany and France this year.

“I promise everybody in this room that Congress is going to take a long hard look what Russia did to undermine our elections, so you’ll be better prepared when they come your way,” said Graham.

He said he planned to put a bipartisan motion in favour of Russian sanctions before the President.

“My goal is to put it on Trump’s desk and I hope he’ll embrace the idea that, as the leader of the free world, he should be working with us to punish Russia,” Graham said.

“My biggest concern with President Trump... is that he’s never really looked the camera in the eye and said: ‘Even though it was the Democratic Party that suffered from Russian interference, I am now the leader of the free world and I can assure you they’re going to pay a price on my watch for trying to interfere in our election.’”

Trump was also criticised at the conference by long-standing Republican senator John McCain, who is chair of the Armed Services Committee.

He said the US President often “contradicts himself”, adding “some of us have learned to watch what the President does as opposed to what he says”.

Referring to the ousting of Michael Flynn, Trump’s erstwhile national security adviser, over the misrepresentation of his contacts with Moscow, McCain acknowledged the controversy was “something that shows this administration is in disarray and they’ve got a lot of work to do.”

Meanwhile, in Sweden, there was continuing puzzlement over a reference Trump made at the Florida rally to a supposed terrorist attack.

“Here’s the bottom line,” said Trump. “We’ve got to keep our country safe. You look at what’s happening in Germany. You look at what’s happening last night in Sweden … Sweden … who would believe this? Sweden, they took in large numbers [of immigrants], they are having problems like they never thought possible.”

Former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt was among those to express bemusement. “Sweden? Terrorist attack? What has he been smoking?” tweeted Bildt as #LastNightInSweden began trending on Twitter.