In an awkward exchange, President Donald Trump took credit for promoting new “News Evening News” anchor Tony Dokoupil at the network during his Tuesday interview.

“A year and a half ago, our country was dead. We had a dead country. You wouldn’t have a job now,” he told Dokoupil, who is already facing criticism for his pro-MAGA coverage. “Yeah [Kamala Harris] you walked in, you probably wouldn’t have a job right now. Your boss, who is an amazing guy, could be broke.”

Trump was apparently referring to David Ellison, the CEO of Skydance who now owns News after the Trump administration approved its acquisition of Paramount, the network’s parent company. In the run-up to the deal’s controversial approval, Ellison signaled that under his purview, News would shift to the right.

Donald Trump and Tony Dokoupil
Donald Trump and Tony Dokoupil

AP

Trump’s comment seemed to confuse Dokoupil, who co-hosted “News Mornings” until he started his new job this month.

“Could it be what?” he asked Trump.

“It could be a failure,” Trump repeated. “I doubt it in your case, but you never know. Let me tell you, you wouldn’t have this job. You certainly wouldn’t have this job, no matter what they paid you.”

Dokoupil returned to the commentary as they concluded the interview.

“I think I would have this job even if the others won,” he told the president, who replied: “Yes, but with a lower salary.”

Dokoupil replaced “News Evening News” anchors Maurice DuBois and John Dickerson, who left the network last month amid restructuring under new editor-in-chief Bari Weiss, a former conservative New York Times columnist. In Dokoupil’s introductory message to viewers on New Year’s Day, he argued that the media has “given too much weight to the analysis of academics or elites.”