NEW YORK — Former president George W. Bush says he didn’t intend to criticize President Trump when he said recently that a free press is essential to democracy

Speaking by telephone Tuesday, Bush said he was simply responding to a reporter’s question about the role of journalism. Trump has referred to the press as the ‘‘enemy of the people,’’ but Bush said that it’s important to hold those in power ‘‘to account,’’ adding that power can be ‘‘very corrupting’’ and that it was dangerous to ‘‘fall in love’’ with power or fame or money.

He called his own relationship with the media ‘‘symbiotic,’’ with the media needing a story and the president needing to get his message out.

‘‘I understood people were trying to do their job,’’ he said. ‘‘There were moments when I [was] irritated and wanted to tell so-and-so that they missed a story. But I don’t look back and say, ‘This was a terrible part of my presidency.’ ’’

Bush, 70, is promoting his new book, ‘‘Portraits of Courage,’’ a volume of his paintings of military veterans. The book arrives at a time when Bush — highly unpopular when he left office in 2009 — is enjoying favorable attention for views on the media, immigration, and Muslims that are far more moderate than those of Trump.

But the former president, who refrained from commenting on Democrat Barack Obama’s administration, said he intends to do the same with fellow Republican Trump.

‘‘I understand people interpreting my remarks,’’ he says, ‘‘and that’s why I don’t give a lot of remarks.’’