MIKA BRZEZINSKI (CO-HOST): Give us, I guess, a little bit more about Trump's relationship with the media and why it was so important to make such a strong and unusual statement on the part of [the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)].

MARGARET SULLIVAN: Hi, Mika. Hi, Joe. It's been a very paradoxical relationship, I think, because the media gave him a great deal of essentially free advertising early on. And now things have gotten much tougher. And as a result, he's pushing back very, very hard. I think CPJ, the journalism rights organization, felt so strongly that they had to make a statement because they try to keep journalists safe around the world. And if press rights are threatened in America, that really has implications globally.

BRZEZINSKI: And he threatens the safety of journalists?

SULLIVAN: Well, you know, certainly journalists are having a tough time at his rallies. I don't think that he specifically threatens journalists' safety, but he's definitely threatening press rights. He's talked many times about wanting to go up against or to change the libel laws and to change the laws that allow journalists to do their jobs. So that's very threatening.

DONNY DEUTSCH: Margaret, it's Donny. You talk about the paradox vis-a-vis Trump and the media as far as the beginning of the election. The ultimate paradox is Trump's entire life, how he has used, exploited -- actually brilliantly -- the media to create who he is, his brand. I want to go back to something you touched on, because I don't know if people truly understand what's going on at these rallies, how basically, the press is in one area and they are booed and heckled and Trump actually uses that as a tool in these rallies. And it's frightening when you see it.

SULLIVAN: Yeah, it's become a very ugly situation. And a very scary one, I think. And you know, for me, I guess I'm such a true believer, I think that journalists have such an important role in our society. It's very, very hard to see this happening. And I'm glad that CPJ has made such a strong statement.

BIANNA GOLODRYGA: And Margaret, when you talk about CPJ protecting journalists from being killed, of course, I think of Russia and the number of journalists there who either died mysteriously or disappeared or were killed. Looking back here at home, though, with Trump and some of the rhetoric he's used, what is more frightening to you, what Donald Trump has said or the fact that so many millions of his supporters believe him and agree with him with regards to the media?

SULLIVAN: Yeah, he's really riled people up and made people mistrust the media in a way that is really troubling to me because, again, I know how important our work is. And now there's this sort of feeling that we're evil, we're part of this rigged conspiracy. And it's going to be very hard to go up against that. I think that we need to start telling our story a little bit better.

Previously:

Committee To Protect Journalists Declares Trump “Unprecedented Threat” To Free Press

The Guide To Donald Trump's War On The Press (So Far)

Journalism Rights Groups Fear Trump’s Threat To Press Freedom