Trump says he’ll work with ‘fair’ press, but has ‘upper hand’

President-elect Donald Trump on Monday said he’ll work with a “free, fair and open” press as he aims to fulfill his campaign promise to solidify America.

Mr. Trump, known for loving the cameras but scolding press outlets he doesn’t like, said the obligation is to the American public and the country itself.

“In order to Make America Great Again, it is very important, if not vital, to have a free, fair and open media or press,” Mr. Trump told Fox News Digital.

At the same time, Mr. Trump said he has “the upper hand at this moment” and will play hardball if he thinks outlets are treating him unfairly. “I am always looking to give a second and even third chance, but never willing to give a fourth chance — that is where I hold the line,” he said.

Mr. Trump’s love-hate relationship with the press is on full display as the media ecosystem finds its footing following the GOP’s landslide victory on Election Day.

MSNBC hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski stunned viewers Monday by saying they visited Mr. Trump at his Mar-a-Lago estate Friday to bury years of antipathy and restart communications with him.

The hosts are frequent critics of Mr. Trump and were blown away by his triumph this month, calling it the biggest red wave since the Reagan era.

“Don’t be mistaken,” Mr. Scarborough said at the start of “Morning Joe.” “We are not here to defend or normalize Donald Trump. We are here to report on him and to hopefully provide you insights that are going to better equip all of us in understanding these deeply unsettling times.”

Elsewhere, CBS’s “60 Minutes” sparked Mr. Trump’s ire by questioning whether his Cabinet nominations have the necessary experience to be confirmed.

Host Scott Pelley said some of the nominees “appear to have no compelling qualifications other than loyalty to Trump.”

He specifically mentioned Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, whom Mr. Trump tapped as secretary of state; Pete Hegseth, chosen as secretary of defense; former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, nominated as attorney general; former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, named director of national intelligence; and former independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., chosen to lead the Department of Health and Human Services.

“It’s up to the new Republican majority in the Senate to decide whether these nominees are equipped to represent the American people,” Mr. Pelley said.

Trump allies and recent administration picks defended the selections and slammed the show.

“This is exactly why we rebuffed @60Minutes for an interview during the campaign,” Steven Cheung, who will be White House communications director, posted on X.

Mr. Trump had a rocky relationship with the press during his first term. His first press secretaries, Sean Spicer and Sarah Huckabee Sanders, were combative from the podium. His third, Stephanie Grisham, served for months without doing a daily briefing.

Mr. Trump also skipped the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, an annual tradition that features scholarships for young journalists and comedy roasts by an entertainer and the sitting president.

Mr. Trump eventually resumed daily briefings through press secretary Kayleigh McEnany while taking the podium himself during the COVID-19 crisis.

The president-elect recently appointed Karoline Leavitt, a campaign aide and New Hampshire native, as press secretary in his second term. 

At 27, she will be the youngest in that position in history.

“Karoline Leavitt did a phenomenal job as the National Press Secretary on my Historic Campaign, and I am pleased to announce she will serve as White House Press Secretary,” Mr. Trump said in a statement. “Karoline is smart, tough, and has proven to be a highly effective communicator. I have the utmost confidence she will excel at the podium and help deliver our message to the American People as we Make America Great Again.”

• Mallory Wilson contributed to this report.