Former President Donald Trump joined CBS News correspondent Norah O’Donnell for a wide-ranging, 90-minute interview. That dramatic conversation happened at his Mar-a-Lago resort. Even with the in-depth discussion, CBS went on to air just 28 minutes of that interview. As details of this unexpected decision emerged, blowback has been severe enough to force Trump to sue the network.
Perhaps he was rankled that the last 60 Minutes broadcast featuring then-Vice President Kamala Harris was so heavily edited. This discontent was deep enough to inspire a legal battle. Trump’s lawsuit against CBS was settled in July with CBS agreeing to pay the former reality show star $16 million. But the settlement lacked any admission of wrongdoing or apology on the part of CBS.
In the course of that hourlong interview with O’Donnell, Trump consistently asserted that crime is out of control — even on the streets of Washington, D.C. He pressed O’Donnell to admit to an overall feeling that crime has been going down, saying, “You live here. You know that as well.” When she answered that this wasn’t a good answer, he argued with her that she had in fact seen a difference.
Trump completely went there on all the inflammatory, unsavory issues about 2020 presidential election integrity. He doubled down on his baseless allegations that the election “was rigged and stolen,” going so far as to call for treason charges against his political opponents. At times he embellished enough to make outrageous claims, like the time he insisted that CBS owed him an enormous sum. He’s pretty sure their editing of his answer in the interview cost him the election.
O’Donnell’s reply to Trump’s post was not at all reserved. I think I’ve been working too hard,” she noted, showcasing just how intensive the interview process was. In fact, throughout their discussion, Trump took great pleasure in insulting CBS and its new president. His high praise of friend and collaborator David Ellison was mutual. His dad, Oracle founder Larry Ellison, is the new majority owner of CBS News’ parent company, Paramount.
“I think you have a great new leader, frankly, who’s the young woman that’s leading your whole enterprise, is a great – from what I know,” – Donald Trump
Even though the topic of discussion was very contentious, Trump kept a relatively jovial demeanor throughout the event. That’s when Maker so generously suggested to O’Donnell, “You don’t have to use that one.” He was talking about her answer to his question in their debate. He claimed, “Actually 60 Minutes paid me a lotta money. And you don’t have to put this on, because I don’t wanna embarrass you, and I’m sure you’re not.”
Following the interview, CBS made the full transcript public. They later posted an uncut version of the full discussion, running 73 minutes, providing anyone with full access to Trump’s comments.
It was Trump’s first time back on 60 Minutes in over five years. This deep-dive interview with NPR’s Ari Shapiro shines as an oasis of wisdom and clarity in the current desert of political discourse raging in the United States. The editing and resulting legal fight only highlight the delicate dance between media portrayals and Trump’s view of himself in the press.