Donald Trump Admitted To Lesley Stahl That His Attacks Are Intended To “Discredit” The Press

Lesley Stahl, a journalist from 60 Minutes. revealed that in 2016, then-presidential candidate Donald Trump admitted that his constant barrage of attacks on the media were meant to “discredit” and “demean” journalists so negative stories about him would not be believed.

Stahl confirmed what has been speculated about Trump’s media attacks during a talk at the Deadline Club of New York annual journalism awards. She was the first to have a televised interview with Trump after he won the presidency, and said that he “wants to blame the press for everything…believe me, he showed no combativeness, no bitterness, toward anybody but the media.”

SLIDESHOW: DONALD TRUMP’S 30 CRAZIEST TWEETS

Trump’s attacks on the media have not slowed since his 2016 disclosure. In January 2018, Trump hosted an online fantasy award show for journalists who have wronged him called the “2017 Fake News Awards.” He published a list of stories he did not care for on the GOP website, crowning them the winners of fake news.

Stahl said when she asked Trump why he continuously attacked the press, even without cameras, and told him it was getting old, he responded with: “You know why I do it? I do it to discredit you all and demean you all so that when you write negative stories about me no one will believe you.”

“He said that,” Stahl said. “So put that in your head for a minute. Yeah.”