BuzzFeed News reported that President Donald Trump met with national news anchors “on background,” and that those outlets quoted him as a “senior administration official.” Trump had recently criticized the use of anonymous sources in the media.

Though Trump has relentlessly and repeatedly attacked the media, many outlets and journalists have bent over backwards to get access to his administration. Trump has blacklisted some outlets for unfavorable coverage and simultaneously propped up right-wing ones. Media Matters President Angelo Carusone issued a statement calling on media to stand up to Trump’s blacklisting. But according to BuzzFeed, national outlets allowed Trump to speak anonymously just days after he criticized some coverage that relied on anonymous sources.

CNN was the first to quote Trump as a “senior administration official,” with other outlets picking up the story. In its report on the situation, BuzzFeed wrote that Trump “went on background with reporters as a ‘senior administration official’ to discuss issues like immigration.” Afterward, reporters “were allowed to put some of Trump’s comments back on the record.” Just days before, Trump said that the media “shouldn’t be allowed to use sources unless they use somebody’s name,” demanding that “their name be put out there.” BuzzFeed called background meetings between reporters and administration officials “commonplace,” noting that some are even “entirely off the record,” but it also highlighted Trump’s hypocrisy. From the February 28 report:

Donald Trump on Friday railed against the media’s use of anonymous sources in stories. Four days later, he was one.

In a private meeting with national news anchors ahead of his address to Congress Tuesday night, Trump went on background with reporters as a “senior administration official” to discuss issues like immigration, telling attendees that it was time for a legislative compromise from both parties.

“There’s got to be a coming together,” an “official” said, according to CNN. As BuzzFeed News reported, citing attendees at the meeting, Trump was the one to make that remark, among others attributed to the official.

Reporters were allowed to put some of Trump’s comments back on the record at 6 p.m., according to a person familiar with the terms of the meeting. CNN later updated its story, for instance, with a quote from Trump. “The time is right for an immigration bill as long as there is compromise on both sides,” he said.

[...]

Tuesday’s meeting comes during weeks of blistering media criticisms from Trump, who in a speech at CPAC on Friday said that some media outlets “make up sources” and have “very dishonest people.”

Trump took issue in particular with the use of anonymous sources in stories about the administration. “They shouldn’t be allowed to use sources unless they use somebody’s name. Let their name be put out there,” he said. “A source says that Donald Trump is a horrible, horrible human being — let them say it to my face. Let there be no more sources.”