U.S. President Donald Trump announces Alexander Acosta as his new nominee to lead the Department of Labor during a news conference at the White House in Washington, U.S., February 16, 2017. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump on Thursday said reports in the U.S. media about his administration’s relationship with Russia may make it difficult for him to strike a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin to ease tensions between Washington and Moscow.

“Putin probably assumes that he can’t make a deal with me any more because politically it would be unpopular for a politician to make a deal,” Trump said at a press conference.