The Network Significantly Trims Donald Trump's 60 Minutes Interview, Omitting Claim About Network Compensating The President Large Money
This broadcast network show the long-running news magazine significantly edited an interview featuring Donald Trump broadcast on Sunday evening, marking the initial sit-down on the show since 2019.
Trump spoke with correspondent Norah O’Donnell over an hour and a half, but only approximately 28 minutes aired on television. A complete text version of the interview was later published, together with a 73-minute digital cut from the interview.
These cuts are notable because, precisely 12 months before Trump's interview with O’Donnell at his Mar-a-Lago resort, he had sued CBS regarding post-production changes of a 60 Minutes segment with then-Vice President the vice president, which he alleged had been manipulated to help her campaign in the presidential election.
While many legal experts widely dismissed the lawsuit as “meritless” and improbable to hold up under the first amendment, CBS reached an agreement with the president for $16m this past summer. Under the settlement, the network had agreed that it would publish full records from upcoming discussions with candidates.
During the opening of Sunday’s show, the correspondent reminded viewers that Paramount resolved Trump’s lawsuit, adding that “the settlement lacked an apology or admission of wrongdoing”.
During the interview, in a clip that did not air, the president teased CBS over the settlement and repeated his allegations toward the broadcaster.
“Actually the program gave me a lotta money. You need not put this on, because I don’t wanna embarrass you, and I’m sure you’re not,” the president said. “But 60 Minutes had to compensate me a large amount since they took her answer from the segment that was so bad, it was decisive, two nights before the election. They inserted a different response in. They compensated me a lot of money because of it. You can’t have fake news. You’ve gotta have truthful journalism. And I think that it’s happening.”
In a separate un-aired portion from the discussion, Trump commended the sale of CBS to the Ellison family noting the network’s recently appointed head, the journalist, is a “excellent addition”.
The US president said he didn’t know Weiss, yet informed the interviewer: “I hear she is impressive.
“I think you've acquired a great new leader, honestly, that individual now heading your whole enterprise, is superb – from what I know,” he said.
Trump was particularly effusive in complimenting David Ellison and his parent, Larry Ellison, the new owner of CBS News’ parent company, Paramount Global, via their firm Skydance Media.
“In my opinion a very positive development to happen involves this program and the change in ownership, the network and new ownership,” Trump said. “I believe it’s the greatest thing that has occurred for years to a free and open and reliable media.”
O’Donnell did not directly respond regarding these remarks concerning the editor and the owners.
Included in the president's responses which were cut were several comments doubting the integrity of the 2020 presidential election, which he said “was rigged and stolen”.
At one point in the interview, in a part omitted from the broadcast, Trump tried to get O’Donnell to acknowledge that crime was down in the capital, where she lives.
“You live here. You know that too,” the president remarked, inquiring of O’Donnell: “Have you noticed any change?”
“I believe I’ve been working excessively,” she replied. “I have not gotten out and about that much … I get in my car and go to work and return home.”
Trump responded “that is an evasion” and insisted that the journalist noticed a difference.
Trump then seemed to suggest that the exchange didn’t need be included on the show.
“You don’t have to use that one,” he noted. “Don’t worry, it's fine, I don’t want to embarrass her.”
