Donald Trump Watches Up To Eight Hours Of Television A Day, Won’t Let Anyone Else Touch The Remote
Donald Trump apparently doesn’t have much trouble finding something good on television.
This week, people close to the president told The New York Times that Trump is obsessed with watching TV, had a 60-inch flat screen television installed in the White House dining room, and sometimes spends up to eight hours a day in front of the television. The report comes as Trump is under increasing scrutiny for his fitness to hold office, with critics increasingly pointing to Trump’s apparent lack of sharpness and questioning his mental health.
The report cited White House sources who claimed that Trump’s television schedule starts when he wakes up each day at 5:30 a.m., noting that he starts watching CNN before flipping to what is reportedly his favorite program, Fox & Friends on Fox News.
Trump often sticks to Fox News throughout the day, but The Hill noted that he sometimes flips to Morning Joe or CNN to see what they are saying about him — and to get angry. The report claimed that Trump “hate watches” CNN host Don Lemon, who has been critical of the president.
The report added that Trump is strict about who can touch the remote, not letting anyone else touch it outside of White House technical support staffers who are able to help him turn the channels.
The report on Trump’s television habits comes as many have questioned his fitness in holding office. This week, Trump appeared to slur his words during a speech about moving the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, prompting the White House to declare that Trump will undergo a physical exam early next year and make the results public, the New York Daily News noted.
This is not the first time that reports have claimed Trump spends a large chunk of his day in front of the television. After previous reports pointed to Trump’s obsession with the tube, the president responded to claim that he actually spends more time reading documents that flipping on the TV.
“Believe it or not, even when I’m in Washington or New York, I do not watch much television,” Trump said during a trip to Asia last month when asked about his television habits. “People that don’t know me, they like to say I watch television — people with fake sources. You know, fake reporters, fake sources.”
Dem: Trump's television habits "would get most Americans fired from their jobs" https://t.co/LfYi1we9XP pic.twitter.com/kc83oovv6E
— The Hill (@thehill) December 9, 2017
But others note that Donald Trump’s television habits can be seen in his public statements. Trump has been known to frequently tweet about hot button issues within minutes after they are discussed on Fox & Friends, including many slights against Democrats. As the Los Angeles Times reported, Trump repeated a report that tied President Barack Obama to the salacious dossier claiming Trump’s campaign colluded with Russia during the 2016 campaign.
