Trump references ‘legitimate media and fake-news media’ at meeting with NATO leader

President Trump began a bilateral breakfast meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Wednesday by referring to journalists in the room as members of the “legitimate” and “fake-news media.”

“Good morning to the media — the legitimate media and the fake-news media,” Trump said, according to a White House transcript. “Good morning to them. A lot of good people here. Surprising.”

He did not specify which journalists present he considered reputable.

Other attendees at the bilateral meeting included Secretary of Defense James Mattis, White House Chief of Staff John Kelly, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and U.S. Ambassador to NATO Kay Bailey Hutchison.

{mosads}

Trump has frequently labeled the news media as “fake,” most recently at a rally in Montana last week.

“They’re so damn dishonest,” Trump said. “And I don’t mean all of them, because some of the finest people I know are journalists, really.”

Trump has also taken issue with the way the media has portrayed his relationship with other world leaders. In June, he tweeted “The Fake News Media said that I did not get along with other Leaders at the #G7Summit in Canada. They are once again, WRONG!”

The Fake News Media said that I did not get along with other Leaders at the #G7Summit in Canada. They are once again, WRONG! pic.twitter.com/I6eEKEZV6z

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 15, 2018

His comment came after a contentious G7 summit that centered on tariffs that the U.S. imposed on allies like the EU and Canada. Trump left the summit early, and the U.S. did not sign the group’s joint communique.