🔗 Share this article CBS News Heavily Edits Donald Trump's TV Program Interview, Omitting Claim About Network Compensating The President Substantial Money The broadcast network program 60 Minutes heavily edited a conversation featuring Donald Trump broadcast on Sunday evening, representing the initial sit-down with the program since 2019. The former president spoke alongside journalist Norah O’Donnell for 90 minutes, yet merely about 28 minutes aired on television. A complete transcript from the discussion was later published, together with an extended online version of the conversation. The edits stand out because, precisely 12 months prior to the president's interview on the program at his Mar-a-Lago resort, he filed suit against the network over post-production changes from another 60 Minutes interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris, claiming it was deceptively edited to benefit her campaign during the race. While numerous legal experts widely dismissed the lawsuit calling it baseless and unlikely to hold up on free speech grounds, the broadcaster settled with the president for millions in July. As part of the agreement, CBS had agreed that it would release transcripts from upcoming discussions of presidential candidates. At the beginning of the broadcast, the correspondent informed the audience that Paramount resolved Trump’s lawsuit, adding that “the settlement did not include any admission or expression of regret”. During the interview, in one segment that did not air, the president teased the network over the settlement and repeated his allegations toward the broadcaster. “Actually the program paid me a lotta money. You need not include this, since I do not wish to cause you discomfort, and I trust that you are not,” Trump stated. “However the show was forced to pay me a lot of money since they removed her answer from the segment which was damaging, it proved decisive, 48 hours prior to voting. And they put a different response into the broadcast. And they paid me a lot of money for that. We cannot tolerate false reporting. We must have truthful journalism. I believe that it’s happening.” During another un-aired portion of the interview, Trump commended the acquisition of CBS to the Ellison family and said the network’s new editor-in-chief, the journalist, was a “excellent addition”. Trump admitted he was not acquainted with the editor, yet informed O’Donnell: “I hear she is impressive. “In my view you have a great new leader, honestly, who’s the young woman now heading your entire organization, is superb – based on what I've heard,” he said. The president was especially effusive in complimenting the executive and his father, Larry Ellison, the recent purchaser of CBS News’ parent company, Paramount Global, through their company Skydance. “I think a very positive development to happen is this show and the change in ownership, the network under new management,” Trump said. “I believe it’s the greatest thing that has occurred in a long time toward a transparent and reliable media.” O’Donnell did not directly respond regarding these remarks about Weiss and the owners. Included in Trump’s many answers which were cut were multiple statements doubting the legitimacy of the 2020 presidential election, which he said “had been manipulated and stolen”. At one point in the interview, in a segment omitted from the broadcast, Trump tried to get O’Donnell to acknowledge 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 a difference?” “I think I have been occupied excessively,” O’Donnell replied. “I haven’t been out and about often … I drive and go to work and return home.” Trump said “that’s not a fair answer” maintaining that the journalist had observed a difference. Trump then seemed to suggest that the back-and-forth didn’t need be included in the program. “You don’t have to use that one,” he noted. “Don’t worry, don’t worry, I do not wish to cause her embarrassment.”
The broadcast network program 60 Minutes heavily edited a conversation featuring Donald Trump broadcast on Sunday evening, representing the initial sit-down with the program since 2019. The former president spoke alongside journalist Norah O’Donnell for 90 minutes, yet merely about 28 minutes aired on television. A complete transcript from the discussion was later published, together with an extended online version of the conversation. The edits stand out because, precisely 12 months prior to the president's interview on the program at his Mar-a-Lago resort, he filed suit against the network over post-production changes from another 60 Minutes interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris, claiming it was deceptively edited to benefit her campaign during the race. While numerous legal experts widely dismissed the lawsuit calling it baseless and unlikely to hold up on free speech grounds, the broadcaster settled with the president for millions in July. As part of the agreement, CBS had agreed that it would release transcripts from upcoming discussions of presidential candidates. At the beginning of the broadcast, the correspondent informed the audience that Paramount resolved Trump’s lawsuit, adding that “the settlement did not include any admission or expression of regret”. During the interview, in one segment that did not air, the president teased the network over the settlement and repeated his allegations toward the broadcaster. “Actually the program paid me a lotta money. You need not include this, since I do not wish to cause you discomfort, and I trust that you are not,” Trump stated. “However the show was forced to pay me a lot of money since they removed her answer from the segment which was damaging, it proved decisive, 48 hours prior to voting. And they put a different response into the broadcast. And they paid me a lot of money for that. We cannot tolerate false reporting. We must have truthful journalism. I believe that it’s happening.” During another un-aired portion of the interview, Trump commended the acquisition of CBS to the Ellison family and said the network’s new editor-in-chief, the journalist, was a “excellent addition”. Trump admitted he was not acquainted with the editor, yet informed O’Donnell: “I hear she is impressive. “In my view you have a great new leader, honestly, who’s the young woman now heading your entire organization, is superb – based on what I've heard,” he said. The president was especially effusive in complimenting the executive and his father, Larry Ellison, the recent purchaser of CBS News’ parent company, Paramount Global, through their company Skydance. “I think a very positive development to happen is this show and the change in ownership, the network under new management,” Trump said. “I believe it’s the greatest thing that has occurred in a long time toward a transparent and reliable media.” O’Donnell did not directly respond regarding these remarks about Weiss and the owners. Included in Trump’s many answers which were cut were multiple statements doubting the legitimacy of the 2020 presidential election, which he said “had been manipulated and stolen”. At one point in the interview, in a segment omitted from the broadcast, Trump tried to get O’Donnell to acknowledge 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 a difference?” “I think I have been occupied excessively,” O’Donnell replied. “I haven’t been out and about often … I drive and go to work and return home.” Trump said “that’s not a fair answer” maintaining that the journalist had observed a difference. Trump then seemed to suggest that the back-and-forth didn’t need be included in the program. “You don’t have to use that one,” he noted. “Don’t worry, don’t worry, I do not wish to cause her embarrassment.”