Story highlights The President made the comment while on the phone with new Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar

The President was referring to a female reporter

New York (CNN) An all-female CNN panel offered an array of explanations Wednesday after President Donald Trump told a female reporter she had a "nice smile."

The President, who has feuded bitterly with the US media since taking office, made the comment while on the phone with new Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar on Tuesday.

"We have a lot of your Irish press watching us," he said to Varadkar. He then beckoned to Irish reporter Caitríona Perry, the US bureau chief for RTÉ News. "We have all of this beautiful Irish press," Trump said, then added, "She has a nice smile on her face so I bet she treats you well."

Video of the bizarre moment when President @realDonaldTrump called me over during his call with Taoiseach @campaignforLeo Varadkar. @rtenews pic.twitter.com/TMl2SFQaji — Caitriona Perry (@CaitrionaPerry) June 27, 2017

Perry later described the experience as a "bizarre moment." When CNN's Kate Bolduan brought up the incident with her panel, which consisted of three women, two of them were in firm agreement.

"I would describe this as how Donald Trump always acts when there are women in the room. It was condescending. It was just creepy," said Symone Sanders, a former press secretary to Bernie Sanders and a Democratic strategist.

Read More