Politics- President Trump is binging even more TV than usual, watching up to seven hours of cable
news in the morning before arriving in the Oval Office as late as noon, where he finally gets his daily briefing. - Trump bookmarks his days in front of the television, reviewing his coronavirus news conference performances and watching more TV back in the residence — only occasionally making time to have dinner with his wife Melania and youngest son Barron — according to the New York Times.
- He's reportedly more irritable, taking shorter phone calls from outside advisers and finding himself frustrated over the media coverage on his coronavirus response.
- In mid-March, Trump's morale reportedly bottomed out, with Mike Lindell — known as the My Pillow guy — offering to cheer him up by showing the president a text message from a Democrat friend who thinks Trump is doing a good job, Lindell told the Times.
- "I just wanted to give him a little confidence," the My Pillow founder said.
- Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
Bookmarking his days with hours upon hours of
Trump is watching up to seven hours of cable news in the morning before arriving to the Oval Office as late as noon, where he finally gets his intelligence briefing, according to the New York Times.
Former Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama typically got their briefings early in the morning. Bush would arrive in the Oval around 6:45 a.m., while Obama became the first president to get an electronic version of the briefing on an iPad so he could read it shortly after waking up, arriving in the Oval around 9 or 10 a.m.
After Trump gets lunch with other officials, phones some governors and world leaders and eventually wraps up his marathon coronavirus briefings, he goes back to watching TV with close aides to review his performance, enjoying "comfort food" such as french fries and Diet Coke.
Then he reportedly watches even more TV back in the residence, only occasionally making time for dinner with First Lady
As much as he may review the footage of the briefings afterwards, the Times reports that Trump rarely attends the actual White House Coronavirus Task Force meetings that take place beforehand. Even when it comes to the prepared remarks he gives, Trump is reportedly seeing them for the first time, making last minute "tweaks with a Sharpie just before he reads them live," according to the Times.
Unable to hold rallies or visit his other properties to go golfing, Trump has grown increasingly irritable, taking shorter phone calls from outside advisers and echoing frustrations over his media coverage.
"Many friends said they were less likely to call Mr. Trump's cellphone, assuming he does not want to hear their advice," the Times reports. "Those who do reach him said phone calls have grown more clipped: Conversations that used to last 20 minutes now wrap up in three."
However, Trump will always take calls from his campaign manager, Brad Parscale, who will update him on his internal polling numbers, which have reportedly worsened in swing states.
Aides told the Times that Trump is increasingly worried about his reelection prospects, and has grown angry with Fox News for not portraying him as positively as before.
In mid-March, Trump's morale reportedly bottomed out, with Mike Lindell — known as the My Pillow guy — offering to cheer him up by showing the president a text message from a Democrat friend who thinks Trump is doing a good job, Lindell told the Times.
"I just wanted to give him a little confidence," the My Pillow founder said.
Read the original article on Business Insider