The Network Heavily Edits Donald Trump's TV Program Sit-Down, Omitting Boast About Network Paying Him Large Money

This CBS News program the long-running news magazine significantly trimmed an interview featuring the former president broadcast on Sunday evening, representing his first one-on-one on the show since 2019.

Trump spoke with correspondent the CBS anchor over an hour and a half, yet merely approximately 28 minutes were broadcast. A complete transcript from the discussion subsequently published, together with an extended digital cut of the conversation.

The edits stand out since, precisely 12 months before the president's appearance on the program at his Mar-a-Lago resort, he filed suit against CBS over post-production changes from another 60 Minutes segment featuring Kamala Harris, which he alleged was manipulated to benefit her campaign in the presidential election.

Although many attorneys widely dismissed the legal action calling it baseless and improbable to succeed on free speech grounds, the broadcaster reached an agreement with the president for $16m in July. Under the agreement, the network committed that it would release transcripts from upcoming discussions of presidential candidates.

At the beginning of Sunday’s show, the correspondent reminded viewers that Paramount settled the legal dispute, adding that the resolution lacked an apology or admission of wrongdoing”.

In the conversation, in a clip omitted from broadcast, the president teased the network about the agreement and repeated his claims against the network.

“Actually the program paid me a lotta money. And you don’t have to include this, since I do not wish to cause you discomfort, and I trust you’re not,” Trump said. “However 60 Minutes was forced to compensate me a large amount because they took Harris’s response from the segment which was damaging, it proved election-changing, two nights prior to voting. They inserted a different response in. And they paid me a lot of money for that. We cannot tolerate false reporting. You’ve gotta have legit news. I believe this is occurring.”

During another segment not broadcast from the discussion, Trump commended the acquisition of the network to the Ellison family and said the broadcaster's recently appointed head, the journalist, was a “excellent addition”.

The US president admitted he was not acquainted with Weiss, but told the interviewer: “I hear she is impressive.

“In my view you've acquired a great new leader, honestly, who’s the young woman that’s leading your entire organization, is a great – based on what I've heard,” he remarked.

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

“In my opinion a very positive development recently involves this program and the change in ownership, the network and new ownership,” Trump said. “I believe it’s the greatest thing that’s happened for years to a free and open and reliable media.”

O’Donnell offered no direct reply to the president’s comments about Weiss and the Ellisons.

Among Trump’s many answers which were cut were several comments doubting the integrity of the 2020 presidential election, which he said “had been manipulated and unlawfully taken”.

During one exchange in the interview, in a part that was not aired, Trump tried to get O’Donnell to acknowledge that safety had improved in the capital, where she lives.

“You live here. You know that too,” the president remarked, inquiring of O’Donnell: “Have you noticed any change?”

“I think I’ve been working too hard,” O’Donnell replied. “I have not gotten out and about often … I drive and go to work and I go home.”

Trump said “that’s not a fair answer” and insisted that the journalist had observed an improvement.

The president then seemed to suggest that the exchange didn’t need be included on the show.

“You don’t have to include that part,” he noted. “No concerns, it's fine, I do not wish to cause her embarrassment.”