President Donald Trump is denying a New York Times story that says he watches at least four, and as many as eight, hours of TV each day.
Although the article came out on Saturday, he didn’t issue his tweet denial until Monday morning, a few minutes after CNN discussed the story on air.
In that tweet, Trump insisted that he seldom watches CNN or MSNBC because he considers them “fake news.” He also reminded people that he once called CNN anchor Don Lemon the “dumbest man on television.”
Another false story, this time in the Failing @nytimes, that I watch 4-8 hours of television a day - Wrong! Also, I seldom, if ever, watch CNN or MSNBC, both of which I consider Fake News. I never watch Don Lemon, who I once called the “dumbest man on television!” Bad Reporting.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 11, 2017
Historian Drew McCoy was the first to point out the timing of Trump’s tweet.
This story came out over the weekend but CNN did a segment on it in the last half hour of their morning show.
— Drew McCoy (@_Drew_McCoy_) December 11, 2017
Hmmmmm. https://t.co/thPEl7bdeI
It’s impossible to say whether Trump felt compelled to tweet his denial after (not) watching CNN, but others also expressed skepticism about the president’s comments.
This story is two days old. You’re seeing it now because it’s being reported on TV. https://t.co/sEKu7jDrWD
— 139 days ago Trump promised 24-hr Hezbollah answer (@MattNegrin) December 11, 2017
Donny: if it's just fake news, why bother responding? It reminds me of your campaign speeches, when you'd point at the media and say "I have to be very accurate - the fake news is here." If their reporting is always fake, why bother with accuracy? Oh right, you don't. My bad.]]>🤢