It was just after 2 a.m. on Sunday, and bleary-eyed reporters aboard Air Force One were halfway through a roughly 30-minute flight from Miami to Palm Beach, Fla.

That’s when members of the traveling press pool got word that President Trump was going to pop by the press cabin of the plane to say hello and take a few questions. The update was both exciting and a bit surprising.

After all, it was past 2 in the morning, and the plane would be landing momentarily. But it was typical Trump: Willing to engage with the press he has often vilified, and eager to get in yet another jab at his predecessor.

“I'm always available, unlike Biden. Think Biden would do an interview at 2 in the morning? He wouldn't do one at 9 in the morning,” Trump said as reporters, photographers and a television camera packed tightly around the aisle of the plane.

As one of roughly a dozen outlets that rotates as the traveling print pooler to document the president’s travels for the rest of the press corps, The Hill spent the weekend following the president from Washington to Palm Beach, where he spent the weekend at his Mar-a-Lago estate. Mixed in were trips to his nearby golf property and a visit to Miami to attend an Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) event.

Here are three observations from a weekend spent traveling with Trump.

Trump’s love-hate relationship with the press on display

The president spoke to reporters each time he was aboard Air Force One, answering questions for nearly 30 minutes across four Q&A sessions.

He answered questions about tariffs, financial markets, the Ukraine-Russia war, a looming Senate primary in Texas, negotiations with Iran, his annual physical exam, a meeting with the president of El Salvador, the Masters golf tournament and more.

“This is the fake news. We're just doing a little news conference. You want to partake?” Trump said during his 2 a.m. gaggle, inviting granddaughter Kai Trump to join.

There were also signs of how Trump has sought to surround himself with friendlier reporters.

Traveling on the plane was Brian Glenn, who works for the conservative outlet Real America’s Voice. Glenn has been a Trump-friendly voice in the press corps. He gained attention in February when he asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky why he wasn’t........

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