Former White House stenographer: Trump is 'lying to the American people'

Former WH stenographer. — (Image credit: Screenshot/YouTube/CNN)

President Trump is waging a war against "fake news," but he's fighting battles without the proper weapons.

Beck Dorey-Stein, who worked as a White House stenographer for five years, told CNN's New Day on Wednesday that Trump's aversion to recorded conversations makes it difficult to parse the truth when questions arise later. Dorey-Stein worked under the Obama administration before spending only a few months with the Trump administration before resigning.

Dorey-Stein recalled how she used to sit in the Oval Office with former President Barack Obama, recording his every interaction with the press. If people later questioned his words or the context for a quote, she explained, Obama would simply refer to the transcript of the conversation. Trump, on the other hand, "does not like microphones near his face," she said. "Even if a stenographer is present," she continued, "he doesn't often say 'check the transcript,' because the transcript will reveal the truth." She said that if Trump was "really interested in fighting 'fake news,'" he would encourage recordings and fall back on the transcripts to prove his claims.

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She said that his lack of understanding and respect for official stenographers was partially responsible for the friction between him and British Prime Minister Theresa May, whom he denied criticizing until a recording of his criticism emerged.

"I quit because I couldn't be proud of where I worked any more," Dorey-Stein explained. "I felt like President Trump was lying to the American people, and not even trying to tell the truth." Watch the segment below, via CNN. Summer Meza

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Summer Meza has worked at The Week since 2018, serving as a staff writer, a news writer and currently the deputy editor. As a proud news generalist, she edits everything from political punditry and science news to personal finance advice and film reviews. Summer has previously written for Newsweek and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, covering national politics, transportation and the cannabis industry.