The Network Significantly Trims Trump's 60 Minutes Interview, Removing Claim Regarding Network Compensating Him Substantial Money

The CBS News show 60 Minutes heavily edited a conversation featuring Donald Trump that aired on Sunday evening, marking the initial one-on-one with the program since 2019.

Trump spoke with correspondent Norah O’Donnell for 90 minutes, but only about 28 minutes were broadcast. A complete text version from the discussion subsequently released, alongside a 73-minute online version of the conversation.

The edits stand out since, precisely 12 months prior to the president's interview on the program at his Mar-a-Lago resort, he filed suit against the network regarding the editing of a news program segment with then-Vice President the vice president, which he alleged had been manipulated to help her campaign during the race.

While many attorneys widely dismissed the legal action as “meritless” and improbable to hold up on free speech grounds, CBS settled with the president for $16m in July. As part of the agreement, CBS committed to publish full records from upcoming discussions with candidates.

During the opening of the broadcast, O’Donnell informed the audience that Paramount settled Trump’s lawsuit, but noted that “the settlement did not include an apology or admission of wrongdoing”.

In the conversation, in a clip omitted from broadcast, the president needled CBS over the settlement restating his allegations toward the broadcaster.

“In fact the program paid me a lotta money. And you don’t have to include this, because I don’t wanna embarrass you, and I’m sure you’re not,” the president said. “However the show was forced to pay me a large amount since they removed Harris’s response from the segment which was damaging, it proved election-changing, two nights before the election. They inserted a different response in. And they paid me handsomely because of it. You can’t have false reporting. You’ve gotta have legit news. I believe this is occurring.”

During another segment not broadcast of the interview, the president praised the sale of the network to new owners noting the broadcaster's recently appointed head, Bari Weiss, was a “great new leader”.

The US president admitted he was not acquainted with Weiss, yet informed the interviewer: “People say she’s a great person.

“I think you've acquired a talented director, frankly, that individual now heading your entire organization, is superb – based on what I've heard,” he said.

Trump was particularly enthusiastic in praising the executive and his father, Larry Ellison, the new owner of CBS News’ parent company, Paramount Global, through their company Skydance Media.

“I think a very positive development recently involves this program and new ownership, the network and new ownership,” the president said. “I think it’s the greatest thing that has occurred in a long time to a free and open and reliable media.”

The correspondent offered no direct reply to the president’s comments about Weiss and the owners.

Among the president's responses which were cut were several comments doubting the legitimacy of the last election, which he described “had been manipulated and unlawfully taken”.

During one exchange in the interview, in a part omitted from the broadcast, Trump tried to get the journalist to acknowledge that safety had improved in Washington DC, her place of residence.

“You reside in DC. You are aware of this,” Trump remarked, inquiring of O’Donnell: “Have you noticed any change?”

“I think I have been occupied excessively,” O’Donnell responded. “I have not gotten out and about often … I get in my car to the studio and return home.”

Trump responded “that is an evasion” maintaining that O’Donnell had observed an improvement.

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

“You don’t have to include that part,” he said. “No concerns, don’t worry, I do not wish to cause her embarrassment.”