In a rare moment of levity during a press session in the Oval Office, President Donald Trump took questions from reporters alongside Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, giving a surprisingly cordial response to a CNN Türk journalist despite his long-standing criticism of the network.
A Surprising Exchange Over Missile Defense
The interaction began when Yunus Paksoy, a reporter for CNN Türk, asked Trump about American missile-defense systems and past refusals to sell Patriot missiles to Turkey.
“You repeatedly called out the Obama and Biden administrations for their stupid decisions,” Paksoy said.
“Now, you are known to be a great deal-maker in Turkey. What can you do to undo this stupidity?”
Trump paused, looking slightly taken aback, before asking which outlet Paksoy represented.
“CNN? Wow—because you sounded like a nice guy,” he said with a smile, drawing laughter from the room.
A Moment of Praise for “The Real Deal”
Despite his long history of labeling CNN as “fake news,” Trump told the journalist, “But you sound like the real deal to me, so I’ll answer the question.”
He then addressed the topic of military equipment sales before returning to comment on the reporter’s employer.
“I like this guy. I like him. He’s from CNN. Fake news. The worst fake news, but I like him.
It’s CNN Turkey,” Trump remarked, keeping the mood light while maintaining his characteristic jab at the network.
Background on CNN Türk
CNN Türk operates as an independent affiliate owned by Turkish conglomerate Demirören Group, licensed under Warner Bros.
Discovery’s EMEA division, which manages CNN’s cable and satellite channels in the region.
Trump’s Broader Agenda With Erdoğan
During their meeting, Trump expressed his hope that Erdoğan would reduce Turkey’s oil imports from Russia due to its aggression against Ukraine.
Erdoğan, relying on a translator, did not immediately respond to the president’s comments.
A History of Feuding With CNN
Trump’s skepticism toward CNN dates back to January 2017 when he first called the network “fake news” via Twitter.
He has had repeated clashes with CNN’s chief White House correspondent Kaitlan Collins, both in the briefing room during his first term and at a town hall-style event in 2023, where he famously called Collins “a nasty woman.”
Despite his history with the network, Thursday’s exchange showed a rare moment of civility, highlighting Trump’s ability to separate a reporter’s individual demeanor from his criticism of the organization.