Trump reportedly told CBS's Lesley Stahl he attacks the press so 'no one will believe you'

Lesley Stahl recounts an anecdote about Trump
(Image credit: Screenshot/YouTube/Deadline Club Awards)

The Washington Post has documented more than 3,000 false or misleading claims President Trump has made during his time in office, but that hasn't stopped him from frequently attacking news organizations as "fake" and "failing," even as he apparently revels in their attention. 60 Minutes correspondent Lesley Stahl asked Trump about his frequent press-bashing before her interview with him right after the 2016 election, she explained at the Deadline Club Awards in New York on Monday. His answer stuck with her.

Stahl's 13 Emmys didn't prevent Trump from attacking the press, even though there were no cameras on and it was just Stahl and her boss in Trump's office, she explained to PBS NewsHour's Judy Woodruff and the audience. "I said, you know that is getting tired, why are you doing this? You're doing it over and over and it's boring. ... He said, '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.' He said that. So put that in your head for a minute." You can watch her comments and the rest of their conversation below. Peter Weber

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
To continue reading this article...
Continue reading this article and get limited website access each month.
Get unlimited website access, exclusive newsletters plus much more.
Cancel or pause at any time.
Already a subscriber to The Week?
Not sure which email you used for your subscription? Contact us
Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.