On Monday night, reporter Lesley Stahl revealed that President Trump once explained to her why he continues his barrage of attacks against the media, which he routinely labels ‘fake news’.
Stahl spoke with PBS NewsHour‘s Judy Woodruff at the Deadline Club Awards Dinner to talk about journalism and the President’s relationship with the press.
At one point, Stahl, who nabbed the first post-election interview for 60 Minutes with Donald Trump in November 2016, reflected on meeting with the President-elect and how prior to it she met with him in Trump Tower, calling Trump “exactly the same” off-camera as he is on-camera.
Trump teed off on the press in their private meeting, and Stahl said she told him, “That is getting tired. Why are you doing this?… it’s boring and it’s time to end that.”
And then, Stahl said, Trump responded:
“You know why I do it? I do it to discredit you all and demean you all so when you write negative stories about me, no one will believe you.”
“So put that in your head for a minute,” she added.
Watch below: (relevant part starts at the 21-minute mark)
Trump has very publicly decried fake news over and over and over since the campaign. Some very recent examples:
The Fake News is working overtime. Just reported that, despite the tremendous success we are having with the economy & all things else, 91% of the Network News about me is negative (Fake). Why do we work so hard in working with the media when it is corrupt? Take away credentials?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 9, 2018
Can you believe that with all of the made up, unsourced stories I get from the Fake News Media, together with the $10,000,000 Russian Witch Hunt (there is no Collusion), I now have my best Poll Numbers in a year. Much of the Media may be corrupt, but the People truly get it!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 15, 2018
The so-called leaks coming out of the White House are a massive over exaggeration put out by the Fake News Media in order to make us look as bad as possible. With that being said, leakers are traitors and cowards, and we will find out who they are!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 14, 2018
Despite the disgusting, illegal and unwarranted Witch Hunt, we have had the most successful first 17 month Administration in U.S. history – by far! Sorry to the Fake News Media and “Haters,” but that’s the way it is!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 17, 2018
(Nat Golden – YWN)
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8 Responses
Fake news
That doesn’t really matter, because pretty much everyone I know hated and distrusted the media before Trump and will continue to do so afterwards.
One of the very rare occasions he’s told the truth.
Yes, of course, there’s no such thing as fake news – the media are an honest, objective, unbiased source of information – anyone see the media’s coverage of the Gaza riots recently? The media discredit themselves, no need for help from President Trump.
And the problem is?
If anyone seriously doubts that the MSM are the insane propaganda arm of the Israel hating Democrats, witness their defense of Hamas and MS13.
Trump/Pence 2020
Someone better tell Donny it’s not working. Except for his faithful base nobody believes him any more. Unfortunately, that includes other world leaders, as the US declines in moral influence in every place except Netanyahu’s Israel. The real Republicans who are left don’t buy it either, but they’re out in the cold these days.
Destroying US credibility on the world stage will come at a heavy final cost – not just to the US but to Israel too.
Trump has a strong dislike for ywn
Trump couldn’t care less about fake news, He spreads slander and lies all the time. He spreads fake news about Amazon, Rafael Cruz, his inauguration size, illegal voters etc. All news that is positive about him and his cohorts is “real” and everything else is “fake”. His constant attacks on the media are abhorrent.