CBS News Significantly Trims Trump's TV Program Sit-Down, Removing Claim Regarding Broadcaster Paying Him Substantial Money

This CBS News program 60 Minutes significantly trimmed an interview with Donald Trump that aired on Sunday evening, marking his first sit-down with the program in five years.

Trump sat down with correspondent Norah O’Donnell for 90 minutes, but only about 28 minutes aired on television. The full transcript from the discussion subsequently released, alongside an extended digital cut from the interview.

These cuts stand out since, exactly one year prior to the president's interview with O’Donnell in Florida, he had sued the network over post-production changes of a news program segment featuring the vice president, which he alleged had been deceptively edited to benefit her chances in the presidential election.

While many legal experts largely rejected the legal action as “meritless” and improbable to succeed under the first amendment, CBS settled with the president for millions in July. Under the agreement, CBS had agreed that it would release transcripts of future interviews with candidates.

During the opening of the broadcast, O’Donnell informed the audience that Paramount resolved the legal dispute, but noted that the resolution did not include any admission or expression of regret”.

In the conversation, in one segment omitted from broadcast, Trump needled the network over the settlement restating his allegations toward the broadcaster.

“Actually the program paid me a substantial sum. And you don’t have to include this, since I do not wish to embarrass you, and I’m sure you’re not,” the president stated. “But 60 Minutes had to compensate me a lot of money since they removed Harris’s response from the segment that was so bad, it proved decisive, two nights before the election. And they put a different response into the broadcast. And they paid me a lot of money because of it. We cannot tolerate false reporting. You’ve gotta have truthful journalism. And I think this is occurring.”

During another un-aired portion of the interview, Trump praised the sale of the network to new owners and said the broadcaster's recently appointed head, the journalist, was a “excellent addition”.

The US president said he didn’t know the editor, yet informed the interviewer: “I hear she is impressive.

“In my view you have a great new leader, frankly, who’s the young woman that’s leading your entire organization, is superb – from what I know,” he said.

Trump was particularly effusive in praising the executive and his father, Larry Ellison, the recent purchaser of CBS News’ parent company, Paramount Global, through their company Skydance.

“I think a very positive development to happen involves this program and the change in ownership, CBS and new ownership,” the president said. “I believe it is a major improvement that’s happened in a long time toward a transparent and reliable media.”

O’Donnell did not directly respond to the president’s comments concerning the editor and the Ellisons.

Included in the president's responses that were edited out were multiple statements questioning the integrity of the 2020 presidential election, which he said “was rigged and unlawfully taken”.

During one exchange in the conversation, in a segment omitted from the broadcast, the president attempted to persuade O’Donnell to admit that safety had improved in Washington DC, her place of residence.

“You live here. You are aware of this,” the president remarked, asking the correspondent: “Do you see a difference?”

“I think I’ve been working too hard,” she replied. “I have not gotten out and about that much … I get in my car and go to work and return home.”

The president responded “that is an evasion” maintaining that the journalist noticed a difference.

Trump then seemed to suggest that the back-and-forth didn’t need be included on the show.

“It is unnecessary to use that one,” he said. “No concerns, don’t worry, I don’t want to embarrass her.”