CBS News Heavily Edits Donald Trump's 60 Minutes Sit-Down, Omitting Boast About Network Compensating The President Substantial Money
This broadcast network show the long-running news magazine heavily edited an interview with the former president broadcast on Sunday evening, marking the initial sit-down on the show in five years.
Trump sat down with correspondent the CBS anchor over an hour and a half, yet merely approximately 28 minutes aired on television. The full text version from the discussion was later released, alongside an extended online version of the conversation.
These cuts are notable because, precisely 12 months prior to Trump's appearance with O’Donnell in Florida, he had sued CBS regarding the editing of a news program segment with then-Vice President the vice president, claiming it was deceptively edited to help her chances during the race.
Although many attorneys widely dismissed the legal action calling it baseless and improbable to hold up under the first amendment, CBS settled with Trump for $16m this past summer. Under the settlement, CBS committed that it would release transcripts from upcoming discussions with candidates.
At the beginning of the broadcast, the correspondent reminded viewers that Paramount resolved the legal dispute, but noted that “the settlement lacked an apology or admission of wrongdoing”.
During the interview, in one segment omitted from broadcast, the president needled CBS over the settlement and repeated his allegations against the network.
“In fact 60 Minutes paid me a substantial sum. You need not put this on, since I do not wish to cause you discomfort, and I trust that you are not,” Trump stated. “But 60 Minutes had to pay me a lot of money because they removed Harris’s response from the segment which was damaging, it proved decisive, 48 hours prior to voting. They inserted a different response into the broadcast. They compensated me a lot of money because of it. We cannot tolerate false reporting. We must have truthful journalism. I believe this is occurring.”
During another segment not broadcast from the discussion, the president commended the sale of the network to the Ellison family and said the network’s new editor-in-chief, Bari Weiss, was a “great new leader”.
The US president admitted he was not acquainted with the editor, but told the interviewer: “I hear she’s a great person.
“I think you've acquired a talented director, frankly, who’s the young woman that’s leading your entire organization, is a great – from what I know,” he remarked.
Trump was especially effusive in complimenting the executive and his parent, Larry Ellison, the new owner of the network's parent firm, Paramount, via their firm Skydance.
“In my opinion a very positive development to happen involves this program and the change in ownership, CBS and new ownership,” Trump said. “I believe it’s the greatest thing that has occurred for years to a free and open and good press.”
The correspondent did not directly respond to the president’s comments about Weiss and the owners.
Included in the president's responses which were cut were multiple statements doubting the legitimacy of the last election, which he described “was rigged and unlawfully taken”.
During one exchange in the interview, in a segment that was not aired, Trump tried to get the journalist to admit that safety had improved in the capital, where she lives.
“You reside in DC. You are aware of this,” Trump remarked, inquiring of O’Donnell: “Have you noticed a difference?”
“I believe I have been occupied too hard,” O’Donnell responded. “I haven’t been outside often … I drive and go to work and I go home.”
The president responded “that is an evasion” maintaining that the journalist noticed an improvement.
Trump then implied that the back-and-forth didn’t need to be aired in the program.
“You don’t have to include that part,” he said. “Don’t worry, don’t worry, I don’t want to cause her embarrassment.”
