CNN’s David Axelrod said Monday that it was somewhat “refreshing” to see President Trump how questions from journalists on the first day he took office.
“I also think, he said, ‘did Biden do this?’ I think he wanted to contrast with [former President] Biden, by having this press conference,” Axelrod said.
CNN’s Anderson Cooper said it was rare to see something like that, referring to the president taking questions from reporters in the Oval Office on Monday, just hours after being sworn in.
“And there’s a reason for that because the president’s words can actually cause the army to march and the market to fall and have real consequences,” Axelrod said. “I think it’s refreshing for presidents to be — I mean, I was among those who were critical of President Biden’s lack of exposure. And I think it’s good for presidents to be exposed. It’s better that they tell the truth when I do that,” he added.
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David Axelrod said Monday that it was refreshing to see President Trump hold his own with the press. (Screenshot/CNN)
Axelrod also criticized Trump for pardoning rioters on January 6, one of his first acts, condemning the president for calling them “hostages.”
“These are people who have either pleaded guilty or been convicted of crimes related to looting the Capitol to try to stop the legal process of certifying American elections,” he said. “And the only defense I can come up with for this action today is that these people went there because the president of the United States told them a blatant lie that the election was stolen and that something untoward was going on.”
Sitting at the Resolute desk in the Oval Office, Trump signed the release of more than 1,500 people accused of crimes stemming from the attack on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021. The order requires the Federal Bureau of Prisons to act immediately upon receiving the pardon.
“Tonight I’m going to sign the J6 hostages, sorry to get them out,” Trump said at an event with supporters in Washington.
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President Donald Trump arrives before his inauguration at the United States Capitol on January 20, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Melina Mara – Pool/Getty Images)
CNN’s Kaitlan Collins noted later in the debate that Trump spoke to reporters for 45 minutes.
During the interview with the journalists, Trump revealed the letter Biden left him, which is a tradition for outgoing presidents.
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Fox News’ Diana Stancy and Jamie Joseph contributed to this report.
