CNN’s Abby Phillip Roasts Trump With Cuts of ‘Sycophantic’ Displays From MAGA Media

CNN anchor Abby Phillip roasted President Donald Trump’s “sycophantic” press allies with clips of pro-MAGA White House reporters in action.

On Tuesday night’s edition of CNN NewsNight, Phillip and a panel comprised of Scott Jennings, Xochitl Hinojosa, Shermichael Singleton, and Chuck Rocha talked about the alarm over the resignation of longtime 60 Minutes executive producer Bill Owens and Trump’s pressure campaign against non-friendly media outlets.

Phillip suggested Trump’s goal is a media landscape along the lines of the “sycophantic” newcomers to the White House beat:

PHILLIP: Yeah, we — we do have — we do have that Gallup polling about trust in media. And now, as in recent years, and let’s be honest, Scott. A lot of this is driven by the rhetoric on your side of the aisle. I mean, it’s not —

JENNINGS: You think it’s driven by the rhetoric and not the performance?

PHILLIP: Absolutely. Okay. On the question of whether what is at — what is — what is Trump’s interest in this? That’s — that’s one of the question.

Is it to have media that is in the middle, that is fair? Here is just a sampling of what has been happening at the White House as Trump has — he’s entitled to do this, but invited very sycophantic media into the White House. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRIAN GLENN, “REAL AMERICA’S VOICE” CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Why don’t you wear a suit? And you refuse to wear a suit. Just want to see if you — do you own a suit?

CARA CASTRONUOVA, LINDELLTV: Correct. Will you guys also consider, releasing the president’s fitness plan? He actually looks healthier than ever before. Healthier than he did eight years ago, and I’m sure everybody in this room could agree. Is he working out with Bobby Kennedy, and is he eating less McDonald’s?

MIKE CARTER, NEWSMAX: The clothes have emerged of Senator Van Hollen sipping what appears to be, margaritas with Abrego Garcia down in El Salvador. Do you encourage other Democrats to fly down to El Salvador to meet with this illegal alien who’s an accused wife beater?

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: I like this guy. See now, this is — this is the kind of a reporter we like.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIP: Trump is not interested in middle of the road Walter Cronkite reporting, and I think it’s also completely ahistorical to describe Walter Cronkite as somebody who did not have a point of view as he very famously did. But Trump is — but Trump is not interested in that, Scott. He’s not.

JENNINGS: Of course he’s not. No. Look. No politician, no president, Democrat or Republican, wants to be pilloried every day, and all of them believe they’re being treated unfairly, and they all want to be treated better than they think they’re being treated. That’s true for all of them.

Watch above via CNN NewsNight.