President Trump has offered rare praise for media executive, Amazon billionaire founder and Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos, hinting at many changes he has made to the newspapers in recent months.
“I think it means that the media hasn't changed much,” Trump said. Interviewed With television journalist Sharyl Attkisson. “I think he's a guy like Bezos – I've come to know him and I think he's trying to do a real job. Jeff Bezos is trying to do a real job with the Washington Post.”
Trump said he noticed a change in the way Bezos ran the post during his first term.
“It hadn't happened before,” the president said.
Trump was referring to notable moves like the Knicks, editor supporting presidential candidates last fall, a new directive on the focus of the OP-EDS, and a reorganization of the Post's newsroom.
The move has sparked extensive blowbacks, cancellation subscriptions, staff departures and Bezos is trying to promote business benefits by currying favors for Trump.
The billionaire attended Trump's inauguration, but denied that he was trying to use the post as a mechanism to strengthen relations with the administration, and instead argued that a change in the newspaper would be needed to regain trust with readers.
Trump's first four years of inauguration created a name for himself, building a brand about his administration's active coverage, and was coined as “Democracy Dies in the Dark.”
The post earlier this year unveiled a new internal mission statement, “Rivet Storytelling,” as part of Bezos' main sided cleaning changes.
Meanwhile, Trump ridiculed mainstream media outlets during his first two months of office, threatening to use federal powers to scrutinize news providers who say he is too hostile to him.
