President Donald Trump swears he does not have time to watch television and the news while at the White House because he is too busy "reading documents." He said this with a straight face as if he thought anyone would actually believe him. Then again, maybe he anticipated their doubt.
“Believe it or not, even when I’m in Washington or New York, I do not watch much television,” Trump told reporters on Saturday while aboard Air Force One. "People that don’t know me, they like to say I watch television — people with fake sources. You know, fake reporters, fake sources.”
Despite often tweeting criticisms of the “liberal media,” Trump told the reporters, who were primarily print media, that he spends more time reading their work than watching TV.
“But I don’t get to watch much television. Primarily because of documents. I’m reading documents. A lot,” Trump continued. “I actually read much more — I read you people much more than I watch television.”
This statement might come as surprise to Fox News, particularly for daily morning news and talk program "Fox and Friends." It's the worst kept secret that Trump watches the show, which heavily includes his tweets and excessively talks about him. The hosts believe the president watches their show so much that they are known to address him directly, via the camera, during the three-hour live programming.
Yet Trump now insists he doesn't have time for that.
Trump made this statement while responding to a question about Alabama Senate candidate and Republican Roy Moore. He was asked whether Moore should continue running in the state's special election, considering the candidate is now accused of sexual misconduct with a minor. To which Trump responded that he hasn't “seen much about him” during his trip through Asia.
“I haven’t been able to devote very much time to it,” Trump said, adding that he would “have further comment as we go down the road.”
According to a Washington Postreport last week, Moore is accused of inappropriate sexual conduct with a 14-year-old girl when he was in his 30s. Three other women have also stepped forward, saying Moore approached them while they were between the ages of 16 and 18.
This is not the first time Trump insisted he has “very little time for watching TV,” as he claimed back in July, despite the fact that he often tweets about Fox News and CNN segments just after they air live. Furthermore, a TIME exclusive feature story describes a 60-inch flat screen TV installed in his private White House dining room.
Twitter rolled their eyes at the president.
And in regard to the reporters, one person raises a good point.
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h/t: The Hill, Newsweek, Washington Post, New York Times, Time