Donald Trump was caught watching Fox News’ Jesse Watters on Sunday night, days after the president said he doesn’t have much time for television.
Washington Post White House Bureau Chief Phillip Rucker tweeted over the weekend that he saw Trump watching Watters on a “jumbo TV aboard Air Force One” on his way back to Washington D.C. after spending a weekend in New Jersey.
We saw President Trump & family watching @jessebwatters's Fox show on jumbo TV aboard Air Force One tonight en route home from Bedminster.
— Philip Rucker (@PhilipRucker) July 17, 2017
Rucker reported last week, “White House officials tells us President Trump has been watching plenty of TV news this week, when he’s had nothing on his public schedule.”
Typically the president’s viewing habits aren’t newsworthy, but last week his tweet about having “very little time for watching T.V.” was widely mocked.
“The W.H. is functioning perfectly, focused on HealthCare, Tax Cuts/Reform & many other things. I have very little time for watching T.V,” Trump tweeted on Wednesday.
Trump’s tweet was criticized by many in the media; Baltimore Sun media critic David Zurawik said, “There has never been a more media-steeped presidency.”
Watters, a former protege of Bill O’Reilly, has been among the president’s most outspoken supporters in the media. He is a co-host of “The Five” on Fox News and also hosts his own weekend program, “Watters’ World,” which the president is apparently a fan of.