(CNN) "Equating brutality and despotism with leadership is not an American value," CNN's Jake Tapper said on Monday in response to President Donald Trump's pattern of expressing admiration for authoritarian leaders.

Tapper's comments come after a weekend of controversial statements by Trump, who called North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un a "pretty smart cookie" during a CBS "Face the Nation" interview on Sunday, and said in an interview with Bloomberg News the next day he would be "honored" to meet with him.

"Kim Jong Un had his uncle murdered." Tapper said on "The Lead."

"That doesn't make Kim Jong Un a smart cookie -- that makes him a murderer."

.@jaketapper responds to @POTUS: "Equatingbrutality and despotism with leadership is not an American value" https://t.co/MGeHJJixJP — The Lead CNN (@TheLeadCNN) May 1, 2017

As Tapper noted, Kim is not the only "brutal dictator" or despot Trump reached out to over the weekend. The President also had a "very friendly conversation" with the president of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, and invited him t o the White House.

Read More