CBS News Significantly Trims Trump's TV Program Interview, Removing Boast About Network Paying The President Substantial Money

The CBS News program 60 Minutes significantly trimmed a conversation with the former president that aired Sunday night, marking the initial sit-down on the show in five years.

Trump spoke with correspondent the CBS anchor over an hour and a half, yet merely approximately half an hour were broadcast. The full transcript of the interview subsequently published, alongside a 73-minute online version from the interview.

The edits stand out because, precisely 12 months prior to Trump's appearance on the program at his Mar-a-Lago resort, he had sued CBS regarding the editing of a news program segment featuring the vice president, which he alleged was manipulated to benefit her chances during the race.

While numerous legal experts widely dismissed the lawsuit as “meritless” and unlikely to hold up under the first amendment, the broadcaster reached an agreement with the president for $16m this past summer. Under the settlement, CBS committed to publish full records from upcoming discussions with candidates.

At the beginning of Sunday’s show, the correspondent informed the audience that the parent company resolved Trump’s lawsuit, but noted that “the settlement did not include an apology or admission of wrongdoing”.

During the interview, in a clip that did not air, Trump needled the network about the agreement and repeated his allegations toward the broadcaster.

“In fact the program gave me a lotta money. And you don’t have to include this, since I do not wish to embarrass you, and I trust that you are not,” the president said. “However the show was forced to pay me a large amount since they took Harris’s response from the segment which was damaging, it proved election-changing, 48 hours prior to voting. And they put a new answer in. And they paid me handsomely for that. We cannot tolerate fake news. We must have legit news. And I think this is occurring.”

During another un-aired portion of the interview, Trump commended the acquisition of the network to new owners and said the network’s new editor-in-chief, the journalist, is a “excellent addition”.

Trump said he didn’t know the editor, yet informed O’Donnell: “People say she is impressive.

“In my view you've acquired a great new leader, frankly, who’s the young woman that’s leading your whole enterprise, is a great – from what I know,” he said.

Trump was especially effusive in praising the executive and his parent, Larry, the new owner of the network's parent firm, Paramount, through their company Skydance Media.

“In my opinion a very positive development to happen is this show and new ownership, CBS under new management,” Trump commented. “I believe it is a major improvement that has occurred for years to a free and open and good press.”

O’Donnell did not directly respond regarding these remarks concerning the editor and the owners.

Included in Trump’s many answers that were edited out were several comments questioning the integrity of the 2020 presidential election, which he described “had been manipulated and stolen”.

During one exchange in the conversation, in a part that was not aired, the president tried to get the journalist to acknowledge that crime was down in the capital, her place of residence.

“You live here. You are aware of this,” the president remarked, inquiring of O’Donnell: “Have you noticed any change?”

“I think I’ve been working excessively,” she responded. “I have not gotten out and about that much … I drive to the studio and I go home.”

The president said “that’s not a fair answer” maintaining that O’Donnell had observed an improvement.

Trump then implied that the back-and-forth need not to be aired in the program.

“It is unnecessary to include that part,” he noted. “No concerns, it's fine, I do not wish to cause her embarrassment.”