Sometime after he doubted the character of George Washington (“Didn’t he have a couple things in his past?”), urged a wire-service reporter to ask a tough question (“Give it to me, Reuters!”) and referred to a Kurdish correspondent as “Mr. Kurd,” President Trump paused to directly address the dozens of journalists who had gathered for a rare solo news conference.

“Can you imagine,” he said, “if you didn’t have me?”

Mr. Trump denounces news organizations as “the enemy of the people.” His supporters turned “fake news” into a political rallying cry. And the daily White House press briefing is all but a thing of the past.

But in 80 minutes on Wednesday, Mr. Trump made clear that he is never more comfortable, never more engaged, than when he is sparring with the news media that he loves to say he hates.

Back on his native turf — a hotel ballroom in Midtown Manhattan, five blocks from Trump Tower — the president strolled onto the stage like a prizefighter eager for the opening bell. An hour later, his enjoyment of the occasion had only increased.