Trump says media treating him ‘very good’ on North Korea summit

President Trump took a softer tone with the national news media on Tuesday during an interview with Fox News, telling host Sean Hannity that some mainstream outlets had been “very good” to him concerning his meeting with Kim Jong Un.

“You know, it was sort of interesting because I noticed some of the press … And I’m not even knocking them, because honestly they’ve been treating me very good on this subject. What’s to treat badly? But some of the press would say, ‘he’s meeting with them, therefore he had a major loss.’ I said, ‘since when?’ ” Trump said.

“You know, others wanted to [reach a deal,] but it never worked out, it probably could never have worked out, but we really have gotten a lot,” he added, pivoting back to his praise for the talks between him and Kim.

Hannity had spent part of his show prior to the airing of his taped interview with Trump slamming media coverage of the meeting, specifically CNN’s.

“This hatred now clearly borders on psychosis,” Hannity said. “If this were a major summit featuring Robert Mueller and his witch hunt, every anchor would be here 24/7 and they’d travel 50 hours in the air for that.”

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Trump’s comments came hours after he seemed to mock reporters during his press availability with the North Korean leader, telling Kim that reporters “never stop,” and asking journalists whether their cameras were making the two men look good.

“Getting a good picture everybody?” Trump asked photographers. “So we look nice and handsome and thin? Perfect.”

The Trump administration reportedly implemented restrictions on U.S. press during Tuesday’s trip, including photo opportunities, prompting a rebuke from The Associated Press.

“AP is troubled by the decision to curb media access at the Singapore summit,” said the AP’s director of media relations, Lauren Easton. “It is a disservice to the public, which deserves prompt, accurate and complete reporting on what may be one of the president’s most consequential meetings.”