Trump jokes about feeding reporters, questions if it counts as a bribe

PALM BEACH, FLORIDA: President Donald Trump paused a high-stakes diplomatic lunch with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday, December 28, to tease the press corps about their journalistic integrity.

While flanked by top officials including Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio at Mar-a-Lago, Trump interrupted the proceedings to offer a reporter a hamburger - but not without a caveat.

Trump asks reporter if food would be considered a 'bribe'

A Fox News broadcast captured the exchange. Trump, spotting a reporter off-camera, asked if he was hungry.

"Would you like to have food, or would you consider that a bribe?" Trump quipped. "And therefore you could not write honestly, or therefore you have to write a bad story."

As the president smirked, his son-in-law Jared Kushner was seen laughing at the end of the table. Trump pressed the reporter for an answer, "Would you like something to eat at this time? Yes or no? You can speak".

When the journalist replied, "Yes, sir," it drew a wide grin from Hegseth.

Trump jokes about reporters during lunch break

During the meeting, President Donald Trump made a lighthearted remark as lunch was brought into the room.

Trump gestured toward Communications Advisor Margo Martin and suggested she "take him (the reporter) outside and tell them to serve him a little lunch," prompting chuckles around the table.

White House Advisor Stephen Miller, however, appeared unmoved by the exchange. Cameras captured Miller sitting silently with a neutral expression as others laughed.

As reporters were escorted out, Trump continued joking about media coverage.

"That should guarantee good stories, but it won’t. They’ll only get worse," the president said.

Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy focus on 20-point peace plan

The brief moment of levity came amid a meeting focused on high-stakes diplomacy.

Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met to discuss a proposed 20-point framework aimed at ending the Russia-Ukraine war. Trump said that negotiations were his top priority.

"There’s nothing more important," the president said of the peace effort.

Earlier in the day, Trump sharply criticized a reporter for what he described as a "dumb question" regarding security guarantees for Ukraine.

Trump also confirmed that he had spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin before Zelenskyy’s arrival and said he planned to speak with Putin again as talks continue.

He described the discussions as "pretty complex," underscoring the challenges facing any potential agreement.