CBS News Significantly Trims Donald Trump's 60 Minutes Sit-Down, Removing Claim About Broadcaster Paying The President Substantial Funds
The broadcast network program the long-running news magazine heavily edited a conversation with Donald Trump that aired on Sunday evening, representing his first sit-down with the program since 2019.
Trump sat down with correspondent the CBS anchor over an hour and a half, but only approximately half an hour were broadcast. A complete text version from the discussion was later released, alongside an extended digital cut from the interview.
These cuts are notable because, precisely 12 months before the president's appearance on the program in Florida, he filed suit against CBS over post-production changes from another 60 Minutes interview featuring the vice president, which he alleged was manipulated to benefit her chances during the race.
Although many legal experts largely rejected the lawsuit as “meritless” and unlikely to succeed under the first amendment, the broadcaster settled with Trump for millions this past summer. Under the agreement, the network had agreed to release full records of future interviews with candidates.
During the opening of the broadcast, O’Donnell informed the audience that the parent company settled Trump’s lawsuit, but noted that “the settlement lacked any admission or admission of wrongdoing”.
During the interview, in one segment that did not air, the president needled CBS about the agreement and repeated his allegations toward the broadcaster.
“In fact 60 Minutes gave me a substantial sum. You need not include this, because I don’t wanna cause you discomfort, and I’m sure you’re not,” the president said. “But the show had to pay me a lot of money since they removed her answer out which was damaging, it proved decisive, two nights before the election. They inserted a new answer in. And they paid me a lot of money for that. You can’t have false reporting. You’ve gotta have legit news. And I think that it’s happening.”
In a separate un-aired portion from the discussion, Trump commended the sale of the network to new owners and said the broadcaster's recently appointed head, the journalist, was a “excellent addition”.
Trump admitted he was not acquainted with the editor, yet informed the interviewer: “People say she’s a great person.
“In my view you've acquired a great new leader, honestly, that individual that’s leading your entire organization, is a great – from what I know,” he said.
Trump was particularly effusive in complimenting David Ellison and his father, Larry Ellison, the new owner of CBS News’ parent company, Paramount Global, via their firm Skydance.
“I think a very positive development to happen is this show and the change in ownership, the network and new ownership,” Trump commented. “I believe it’s the greatest thing that’s happened in a long time toward a transparent and good press.”
The correspondent did not directly respond regarding these remarks concerning the editor and the Ellisons.
Among the president's responses which were cut were several comments questioning the integrity of the 2020 presidential election, which he described “had been manipulated and stolen”.
At one point in the conversation, in a segment that was not aired, the president attempted to persuade O’Donnell to admit that safety had improved in Washington DC, where she lives.
“You live here. You are aware of this,” Trump remarked, asking the correspondent: “Have you noticed any change?”
“I believe I have been occupied too hard,” O’Donnell responded. “I haven’t been out and about that much … I get in my car and go to work and I go home.”
Trump said “that is an evasion” maintaining that O’Donnell noticed an improvement.
The president then implied that the back-and-forth didn’t need to be aired in the program.
“You don’t have to use that one,” he noted. “No concerns, don’t worry, I don’t want to cause her embarrassment.”
