The day after firing the director of the FBI, Donald Trump surprised reporters with an unscheduled meeting with former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger.
Reporters, expecting to witness a scheduled meeting between Mr Trump and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, entered the Oval Office to find Mr Trump sitting with the former Secretary of State.
Mr Trump said he had summoned Mr Kissinger to discuss “Russia and various other matters." The White House said the meeting had been booked for some time.
The president also offered his first public rationale for firing FBI Director James Comey.
"He wasn't doing a good job,” Mr Trump said. “Very simply. He was not doing a good job."
Asked if the decision affected his meeting with Mr Lavrov today, Mr Trump responded “Not at all.”
Members of the press reported the president's meeting with the Russian minister was closed to US media. Official state photographers were allowed in to take photos, which show Mr Trump welcoming both Mr Lavrov and Russian Ambassador Sergei Kislyak to the White House.
A White House readout of the meeting – which did not mention Mr Kislyak – said Mr Trump and Mr Lavrov discussed conflicts in Syria, Ukraine, and the Middle East.
The meeting with Mr Kissinger raised eyebrows, as many pointed out that the 93-year-old had last served as former President Richard Nixon’s Secretary of State. Mr Trump’s firing of his FBI director – who was probing Trump campaign ties to Russia – had drawn comparisons to Mr Nixon the day before.
“Nothing screams "Not Nixonian" and "Not about Russia" like meeting Russia and Kissinger within 24 hours of firing,” tweeted NBC reporter Benjy Sarlin.
Ending the approximately eight-minute meeting with reporters, Mr Trump said it was "an honour" to speak with Mr Kissinger because "he's been a friend of mine for a long time."
