CBS News Heavily Edits Trump's 60 Minutes Interview, Removing Claim Regarding Network Paying Him Large Money

This CBS News program 60 Minutes significantly trimmed an interview with the former president broadcast on Sunday evening, marking his first sit-down with the program in five years.

Trump spoke with correspondent Norah O’Donnell for 90 minutes, yet merely approximately 28 minutes aired on television. A complete text version of the interview subsequently published, alongside an extended digital cut from the interview.

These cuts are notable because, exactly one year before Trump's appearance with O’Donnell in Florida, he filed suit against the network over post-production changes of a news program interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris, which he alleged was deceptively edited to benefit her chances in the presidential election.

Although numerous attorneys largely rejected the lawsuit calling it baseless and unlikely to succeed on free speech grounds, CBS reached an agreement with Trump for $16m this past summer. Under the settlement, CBS had agreed that it would publish full records from upcoming discussions of presidential candidates.

During the opening of Sunday’s show, the correspondent reminded viewers that the parent company settled the legal dispute, but noted that the resolution lacked an apology or expression of regret”.

During the interview, in one segment that did not air, Trump teased the network over the settlement and repeated his allegations against the network.

“Actually 60 Minutes gave me a substantial sum. And you don’t have to put this on, since I do not wish to cause you discomfort, and I trust you’re not,” Trump stated. “However 60 Minutes had to pay me a large amount because they took Harris’s response from the segment that was so bad, it proved election-changing, 48 hours prior to voting. They inserted a different response in. And they paid me a lot of money for that. You can’t have fake news. You’ve gotta have truthful journalism. And I think that it’s happening.”

During another segment not broadcast of the interview, Trump praised the acquisition of the network to the Ellison family and said the broadcaster's recently appointed head, Bari Weiss, was a “great new leader”.

The US president said he didn’t know Weiss, but told the interviewer: “I hear she’s a great person.

“I think you've acquired a great new leader, honestly, that individual now heading your whole enterprise, is a great – based on what I've heard,” he said.

The president was particularly enthusiastic in complimenting David Ellison and his parent, Larry, the new owner of CBS News’ parent company, Paramount Global, via their firm Skydance Media.

“In my opinion a very positive development recently involves this program and the change in ownership, the network and new ownership,” the president commented. “I think it’s the greatest thing that has occurred for years to a free and open and good press.”

The correspondent did not directly respond regarding these remarks concerning the editor and the Ellisons.

Among the president's responses that were edited out 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 segment omitted from the broadcast, the president attempted to persuade the journalist to acknowledge that crime was down in the capital, where she lives.

“You live here. You are aware of this,” Trump remarked, asking the correspondent: “Have you noticed any change?”

“I think I’ve been working excessively,” O’Donnell responded. “I have not gotten outside that much … I drive to the studio and return home.”

Trump responded “that’s not a fair answer” and insisted that O’Donnell noticed an improvement.

The president then implied that the back-and-forth need not be included on the show.

“You don’t have to include that part,” he said. “No concerns, it's fine, I don’t want to embarrass her.”