Former President Donald Trump has called for the "termination" of the renowned US journalism program, 60 Minutes. This demand came via his Truth Social platform and was fueled by recent disputes over an interview with Vice President Kamala Harris. Trump and his supporters allege that the final broadcast version of the interview was more polished than its original, suggesting manipulation to benefit Harris.
The controversy centers on differences between Harris's responses in the transmitted interview and a trailer version. Trump accused CBS, the network airing 60 Minutes, of defrauding the public, stating that the network had engaged in deceitful practices "never seen before." This accusation aligns with Trump's frequent labeling of journalists as "the enemy of the people."
“CBS should lose its license, and the cheaters at 60 Minutes should all be thrown out, and this disreputable ‘NEWS’ show should be immediately terminated” – Donald Trump
In response to the accusations, CBS released an unedited transcript of Harris's interview to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Employees of 60 Minutes have denied any bias, asserting that editing for clarity and time constraints is standard practice. The program stated:
“The transcripts show – consistent with 60 Minutes’ repeated assurances to the public – that the 60 Minutes broadcast was not doctored or deceitful” – 60 Minutes
The issue escalated when Trump filed a $10 million lawsuit against CBS, alleging "election interference" due to the purported editing of Harris's interview. Brendan Carr, FCC chair, has reportedly applied pressure on Paramount Global—the owner of CBS—to resolve the lawsuit. Carr voiced concerns over CBS’s conduct:
“This is a rare situation where we have extrinsic evidence that CBS had played one answer or one set of words and then swapped in another set. And CBS’s conduct through this, frankly, has been concerning” – Brendan Carr
Further complicating matters, social media influencers supporting Trump attempted to link a payment delay to Politico staff with the freezing of USAid funding. However, Politico firmly denied any connection, with executives Goli Sheikholeslami and John Harris clarifying:
“has never been a beneficiary of government programs or subsidies – not one cent, ever, in 18 years” – Goli Sheikholeslami and John Harris
Despite these claims, the accusations against 60 Minutes were ultimately debunked. Political pundits suggested that the allegations were an attempt to discredit the media outlet and boost Trump's political narrative.