Donald Trump Skips TV to Deliver YouTube Update on Transition

President-elect Donald Trump released a short infomercial-style video on YouTube late Monday to deliver a direct-to-camera message promising to focus on jobs, renegotiate trade agreements and impose lobbying bans — but he steered clear of repealing Obamacare or building a wall along the Mexican border.

Trump, in one of just a few times the public has heard directly from him since he was elected two weeks ago, provided what he said was an update on his transition, noting that it was going “very smoothly, efficiently and effectively.”

“I’ve asked my transition team to develop a list of executive actions we can take on day one to restore our laws and bring back our jobs. It’s about time,” said Trump.

In the video, Trump outlined a plan for his for 100 days in office, including withdrawing from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, easing regulations on energy production and evaluating the visa program, saying, “On immigration, I will direct the Department of Labor to investigate all abuses of visa programs that undercut the American worker."

He also said: “Whether it’s producing steel, building cars or curing disease, I want the next generation of production and innovation to happen right here, in our great homeland: America — creating wealth and jobs for American workers.”

The choice of medium underscores a strained relationship between Trump — who has declined to hold a news conference since his Election Day win — and the media.

On Tuesday, Trump backed out of meetings scheduled for Tuesday with reporters and editors from The New York Times, claiming that the newspaper changed the terms of the meeting at the last minute — only to reverse his decision hours later after the Times denied the New York businessman's assertion.

The ordeal with The New York Times comes one day after Trump reportedly met with executives and anchors of several news networks in which he excoriated the media for their coverage of him. He was particularly critical of CNN, according to reports.

While one attendee described Monday's meeting as a "firing squad," Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway, who scheduled the gathering, described it much differently.

“There was no need to mend fences,” Conway said. “It was very cordial, very genial. But it was very candid and very honest. From my own perspective, it’s great to hit the reset button.”

Trump is known for his preference to speak directly to public audiences through social media — something that supporters find themselves drawn to, as made evident in his millions of followers across platforms.

However, in the video, Trump appears to be making a pitch to those who did not vote for him, saying he wishes to work with everyone to reach his goals, emphasizing, "And I mean everyone."

Photo credit: Transition 2017 via YouTube screenshot