President praises CNN’s Cooper for Comey town hall
NEW YORK — President Donald Trump has found something to like about CNN — Anderson Cooper.
For an hour, at least. The president has been a relentless media critic during his time in office, particularly toward CNN. But he said in an interview with “Fox & Friends” on Thursday that he watched Cooper host a town hall meeting with former FBI director James Comey the night before.
“Anderson Cooper was surprisingly tough and he did a good job,” Trump said. Cooper declined comment. Trump’s half-hour telephone interview with the three hosts of his favorite morning show was a whirlwind of commentary about world events and the media. The president said that Fox News Channel, packed with friendly commentators, could be tough on him.
Fox hosts Steve Doocy, Ainsley Earhardt and Brian Kilmeade tried to elicit news and even challenge Trump occasionally, while at other times making clear they were kindred spirits. For much of the interview, they seemed merely trying to slow down a runaway train.
Trump criticized NBC “Meet the Press” host Chuck Todd for a comment about North Korea, and reiterated his bitterness toward NBC News for treating him roughly after he “made a fortune” for the network as host of “The Apprentice.”
He said he watches CNN “and they’ll have a council of seven people, and of the seven people, every one of them are against me. Where do they even find these people?”
That exasperated Fox’s Kilmeade, who interrupted to say, “I’m not your doctor, Mr. President, but I would … recommend you watch less of them.”
“I don’t watch them at all,” Trump said. “I watched last night.”
TRUMP: KANYE WEST HAS ‘GOOD TASTE’
Trump praised Kanye West, saying the rapper has “good taste” because he supports Trump.
Trump said in the “Fox & Friends” interview that West has “good taste” and sees the decline in unemployment rate among black and Hispanic Americans.
Trump said, “He’s smart. He says, ‘You know what, Trump is doing a much better job than the Democrats did.’”
‘BUSY’ TRUMP ADMITS HE DIDN’T GET MELANIA MUCH FOR HER BIRTHDAY
On Melania Trump’s 48th birthday, President Donald Trump worried Thursday that his gift might not be sufficient.
Trump got the interview going by giving a shout-out to the first lady: “So, happy birthday to Melania,” he said.
Asked what he had gotten his wife, Trump said: “I better not get into that because I may get in trouble. Maybe I didn’t get her so much.”
Justifying that, he added, “You know, I’m very busy.”
He later offered that he had gotten Mrs. Trump “a beautiful card and some beautiful flowers” and added she’s a wonderful wife.