The Axe Files, featuring David Axelrod, is a podcast distributed by CNN and produced at the University of Chicago Institute of Politics. The author works for the podcast.

Chicago (CNN) Growing mistrust of traditional news outlets has emboldened President Donald Trump and his aides to challenge journalists and promote the administration's own version of facts and events, a veteran journalist warns.

"They know that the facts aren't with them, but they also know that we enjoy no trust," Matt Bai, the national political columnist for Yahoo! News, told David Axelrod on "The Axe Files," a podcast from the University of Chicago Institute of Politics and CNN.

"And this is the first time we've basically had a political operation at this level say to us, 'Go ahead, jump up and down. Nobody cares what you think.'"

When Trump makes verifiably false statements -- about the size of the crowd at his inauguration or the alleged millions of illegal voters responsible for his losing the popular vote, for example -- Bai says it's because the President understands that publicity, not probity, is what actually counts in today's media environment.

"He knows how to get everybody jumping up and down, 'How could Donald Trump say that?' He knows that it doesn't matter. What matters is that he's getting the attention. Whatever he says just kind of slides off, goes away," said Bai.

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