President Trump avoids watching or reading news reports that are critical of him, according to a Time magazine interview published Thursday.
“I’ve been able to do something that I never thought I had the ability to do. I’ve been able not to watch or read things that aren’t pleasant,” the president said.
Trump listed newspapers, networks and specific news personalities that he considers unpleasant, listing CNN and MSNBC among the networks he now refuses to watch.
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“It’s an ability I never thought I’d have. I never thought I’d have the ability to say, they’re doing a big story on me on CNN and I won’t watch it,” Trump told Time. “And it’s amazing, it doesn’t matter. But it really, the equilibrium is much better. As far as newspapers and things, I glance at them. They’re really dishonest. I mean they’re really dishonest.”
The Republican president singled out CNN anchors, saying Chris Cuomo appeared on-air like a “chained lunatic” and Don Lemon is “perhaps the dumbest person is broadcasting.” He also said CBS’s “The Late Show” host Stephen Colbert is a “no-talent guy.”
Trump told the magazine he previously regularly watched MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough, a co-host of “Morning Joe,” but now he does not.
He also repeated his claim that he helped CNN president Jeff Zucker, who he has known a long time, land his top job at the 24 hour news network.
Among print outlets, Trump named The Washington Post and The New York Times, both of which he has repeatedly slammed on Twitter.
“Washington Post, New York Times, they’re really, really dishonest,” he said. According to the report, Trump also turned to the Time reporters and said they could be pretty dishonest as well.
Trump admitted some responsibility when asked directly whether his administration is “combative.”
“It could be my fault,” he said. “I don’t want to necessarily blame, but there’s a great meanness out there that I’m surprised at.”
Trump believes the press and its negative coverage is getting “worse.”
“It’s one of the things that surprises me,” he told the magazine.
He also indicated he takes it personally. “The truth is, I got a raw deal,” he said.