CBS News Significantly Trims Donald Trump's 60 Minutes Sit-Down, Removing Claim Regarding Network Paying The President Substantial Money
The broadcast network program 60 Minutes significantly trimmed a conversation with Donald Trump that aired on Sunday evening, representing the initial sit-down with the program since 2019.
Trump spoke alongside journalist Norah O’Donnell for 90 minutes, yet merely about half an hour were broadcast. The full text version of the interview subsequently released, alongside a 73-minute digital cut of the conversation.
The edits stand out because, exactly one year prior to Trump's interview with O’Donnell in Florida, he had sued CBS regarding post-production changes of a 60 Minutes interview with then-Vice President the vice president, which he alleged was deceptively edited to benefit her chances during the race.
While numerous legal experts widely dismissed the legal action as “meritless” and improbable to succeed on free speech grounds, CBS settled with the president for $16m in July. Under the agreement, CBS had agreed to release full records from upcoming discussions with candidates.
During the opening of the broadcast, the correspondent reminded viewers that the parent company settled Trump’s lawsuit, adding that the resolution did not include any admission or expression of regret”.
During the interview, in a clip omitted from broadcast, the president needled CBS over the settlement and repeated his allegations against the network.
“Actually 60 Minutes paid me a substantial sum. You need not include this, since I do not wish to cause you discomfort, and I’m sure that you are not,” the president stated. “However 60 Minutes had to compensate me a large amount because they took Harris’s response out that was so bad, it was decisive, two nights prior to voting. And they put a new answer into the broadcast. And they paid me handsomely because of it. You can’t have false reporting. We must have legit news. I believe this is occurring.”
In a separate un-aired portion of the interview, the president commended the acquisition of CBS to new owners noting the network’s recently appointed head, Bari Weiss, was a “great new leader”.
Trump admitted he was not acquainted with Weiss, yet informed the interviewer: “I hear she’s a great person.
“In my view you've acquired a talented director, honestly, that individual now heading your whole enterprise, is superb – based on what I've heard,” he remarked.
The president was especially enthusiastic in complimenting David Ellison and his father, Larry, the recent purchaser of CBS News’ parent company, Paramount, through their company Skydance Media.
“In my opinion a very positive development recently is this show and new ownership, CBS and new ownership,” the president commented. “I believe it’s the greatest thing that has occurred in a long time to a free and open and reliable media.”
O’Donnell offered no direct reply to the president’s comments about Weiss and the Ellisons.
Included in Trump’s many answers that were edited out were several comments doubting the legitimacy of the 2020 presidential election, which he said “had been manipulated and unlawfully taken”.
During one exchange in the conversation, in a part omitted from the broadcast, the president attempted to persuade O’Donnell to acknowledge that safety had improved in Washington DC, her place of residence.
“You live here. You know that too,” the president remarked, inquiring of O’Donnell: “Do you see any change?”
“I believe I’ve been working excessively,” she replied. “I haven’t been out and about often … I get in my car and go to work and I go home.”
The president said “that is an evasion” maintaining that O’Donnell had observed a difference.
The president then seemed to suggest that the exchange need not to be aired on the show.
“It is unnecessary to include that part,” he noted. “Don’t worry, don’t worry, I don’t want to embarrass her.”
