If ever you needed proof that Donald Trump would prefer a state-run media, like in Russia, a tweet last night should do it.
Trump lashed out at the news media for reporting that he would meet with Iranian leaders with “no conditions” — something Trump has said on camera at least twice and that senior administration officials repeated to reporters just last week.
“The Fake News is saying that I am willing to meet with Iran, ‘No Conditions.’ That is an incorrect statement (as usual!),” Trump wrote to his more than 64 million Twitter followers.
The Fake News is saying that I am willing to meet with Iran, “No Conditions.” That is an incorrect statement (as usual!).
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 15, 2019
In fact, Trump said as much during a June 23 appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press” after host Chuck Todd asked if he had a message to deliver to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, about his country’s potential development of a nuclear weapon.
“You can’t have a nuclear weapon. You want to talk? Good. Otherwise you can have a bad economy for the next three years,” Trump said.
“No preconditions?” Todd asked.
“Not as far as I’m concerned. No preconditions,” Trump replied.
WATCH: Trump tells Chuck Todd that he wants to talk with Iran with “no pre-conditions.” #MTP #IfItsSunday pic.twitter.com/kie0I91ZbA
— Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) June 23, 2019
That echoed Trump’s comments at a July 30, 2018, joint news conference at the White House during a visit by Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte.
Asked about a potential meeting with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, Trump said: “I believe in meeting. I would certainly meet with Iran if they wanted to meet. I don’t know if they’re ready yet.”
“I’m ready to meet anytime they want to,” Trump added. “No preconditions. If they want to meet, we’ll meet.”
President Trump says a meeting with Iran’s President Rouhani could happen with “no preconditions.” Your thoughts? pic.twitter.com/VmJmP3fQv1
— FOX & friends (@foxandfriends) July 31, 2018
During a briefing at the White House on Tuesday, both Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo confirmed that Trump remained open to such talks.
“The president has made clear, he’s happy to take a meeting with no preconditions,” Mnuchin told reporters.
“The president’s made it very clear: He is prepared to meet with no preconditions,” Pompeo said shortly afterward.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin say President Trump is ready to meet with Iran’s leader “without preconditions” https://t.co/5WiqiEpe0V pic.twitter.com/tYSQVN9tpP
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) September 10, 2019