On Monday, Donald Trump continued holding mysterious meetings, as several anchors, journalists, and media executives dropped by Trump Tower for an “off-the-record” chat. Lester Holt, Wolf Blitzer, George Stephanopoulos, Charlie Rose, and Gayle King are but a few media members that are speaking with the president-elect, and no one has leaked any info yet.
CNN Money, which initially reported the story, notes that it’s not uncommon for a president to meet with the media before the official launch of a new administration, but Trump’s doing things his own way — behind closed doors. He also hasn’t held a standard news conference (as is customary) since his election, and he sent the media into a frenzy with his unplanned night out without a press pool in tow. The meeting was organized by Kellyanne Conway, who now serves as a Trump senior adviser and isn’t afraid to argue with the press. Trump, too, has a nontraditional attitude about the media, often viewing them as his enemy.
During his first visit to the White House, Trump also shunned the press. However, Trump has had a long-standing relationship with some big media names, so perhaps he’s making an emotional appeal, but there’s a good chance we’ll never hear exactly what happened in this meeting.
UPDATE – 5:20pm EST: However, Kellyanne Conway did speak to the media after the event concluded. She stated that Trump did not issue a mea culpa for those who criticized his campaign, but she says, “It was very cordial. Very productive. Congenial. But it was also very candid and honest. From my own perspective, it’s great to hit the reset button.”
(Via CNN Money, Politico & Daily Beast)