The CBS News show the long-running news magazine significantly trimmed a conversation with Donald Trump broadcast on Sunday evening, marking the initial sit-down on the show since 2019.
The former president sat down alongside journalist Norah O’Donnell for 90 minutes, but only approximately half an hour aired on television. A complete text version from the discussion was later published, together with a 73-minute digital cut of the conversation.
These cuts are notable since, exactly one year prior to the president's appearance with O’Donnell at his Mar-a-Lago resort, he had sued the network regarding post-production changes of a news program interview featuring Kamala Harris, claiming it 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 reached an agreement with the president for $16m this past summer. As part of the agreement, CBS committed that it would publish full records from upcoming discussions of presidential candidates.
At the beginning of the broadcast, O’Donnell reminded viewers that Paramount resolved Trump’s lawsuit, but noted that the resolution did not include an apology or expression of regret”.
During the interview, in one segment that did not air, the president needled CBS over the settlement restating his allegations toward the broadcaster.
“In fact 60 Minutes paid me a substantial sum. And you don’t have to include this, since I do not wish to embarrass you, and I’m sure that you are not,” the president stated. “However 60 Minutes was forced to compensate me a lot of money since they removed Harris’s response out that was so bad, it was decisive, two nights before the election. They inserted a different response into the broadcast. They compensated me a lot of money for that. You can’t have false reporting. You’ve gotta have legit news. I believe that it’s happening.”
During another un-aired portion of the interview, the president praised the sale of CBS to the Ellison family noting the broadcaster's new editor-in-chief, Bari Weiss, was a “excellent addition”.
Trump admitted he was not acquainted with Weiss, but told the interviewer: “I hear she’s a great person.
“In my view you've acquired a great new leader, honestly, who’s the young woman now heading your entire organization, is a great – based on what I've heard,” he remarked.
Trump was particularly effusive in complimenting the executive and his father, Larry Ellison, the recent purchaser of the network's parent firm, Paramount Global, via their firm Skydance.
“I think one of the best things recently involves this program and new ownership, CBS under new management,” Trump said. “I believe it’s the greatest thing that’s happened in a long time toward a transparent and reliable media.”
O’Donnell did not directly respond regarding these remarks concerning the editor and the owners.
Included in Trump’s many answers which were cut were multiple statements questioning the integrity of the 2020 presidential election, which he described “had been manipulated and unlawfully taken”.
During one exchange in the conversation, in a part that was not aired, the president attempted to persuade the journalist to admit that safety had improved in Washington DC, where she lives.
“You reside in DC. You are aware of this,” Trump remarked, inquiring of the correspondent: “Do you see any change?”
“I believe I have been occupied too hard,” O’Donnell responded. “I haven’t been out and about that much … I drive and go to work and I go home.”
Trump responded “that’s not a fair answer” and insisted that the journalist had observed a difference.
Trump then implied that the back-and-forth need not be included on the show.
“You don’t have to use that one,” he noted. “No concerns, it's fine, I do not wish to cause her embarrassment.”
