Sign up for our daily briefing
Make your busy days simpler with Axios AM/PM. Catch up on what's new and why it matters in just 5 minutes.
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Denver news in your inbox
Catch up on the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Denver
Des Moines news in your inbox
Catch up on the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Des Moines
Minneapolis-St. Paul news in your inbox
Catch up on the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Twin Cities
Tampa Bay news in your inbox
Catch up on the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Tampa Bay
Charlotte news in your inbox
Catch up on the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Charlotte
President Trump suggested that the news media is pushing for a confrontation with Russia in a Thursday tweet, saying reporters "hate the fact that I’ll probably have a good relationship with Putin."
"The Fake News Media wants so badly to see a major confrontation with Russia, even a confrontation that could lead to war. They are pushing so recklessly hard and hate the fact that I’ll probably have a good relationship with Putin. We are doing MUCH better than any other country!"
The backdrop: It's Trump's latest in a multi-day series of tweets defending his Helsinki performance — and it comes on the heels of a new Axios/SurveyMonkey poll which shows that Americans are sharply divided over Trump's press conference with Putin, with 7% of Democrats and 79% of Republicans saying they approved of his comments.