CBS News Significantly Trims Donald Trump's TV Program Sit-Down, Removing Boast Regarding Broadcaster Paying Him Large Funds

The CBS News show the long-running news magazine significantly trimmed a conversation featuring Donald Trump that aired Sunday night, representing the initial one-on-one with the program in five years.

The former president spoke with correspondent the CBS anchor for 90 minutes, but only approximately 28 minutes were broadcast. The full text version from the discussion was later published, alongside a 73-minute online version of the conversation.

The edits are notable since, exactly one year prior to the president's appearance on the program in Florida, he filed suit against the network over the editing from another news program interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris, which he alleged was manipulated to help her campaign during the race.

Although numerous legal experts widely dismissed the lawsuit calling it baseless and unlikely to hold up under the first amendment, the broadcaster settled with the president for $16m this past summer. As part of the agreement, the network committed that it would publish full records of future interviews of presidential candidates.

During the opening of the broadcast, the correspondent reminded viewers that the parent company resolved Trump’s lawsuit, adding that the resolution lacked an apology or admission of wrongdoing”.

In the conversation, in one segment omitted from broadcast, Trump needled CBS about the agreement and repeated his allegations against the network.

“In fact the program gave me a lotta money. You need not put this on, because I don’t wanna cause you discomfort, and I trust you’re not,” the president said. “But 60 Minutes was forced to pay me a lot of money because they took her answer 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 handsomely for that. You can’t have false reporting. We must have truthful journalism. I believe this is occurring.”

During another un-aired portion from the discussion, Trump commended the acquisition of the network to new owners noting the broadcaster's recently appointed head, Bari Weiss, is a “excellent addition”.

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

“In my view you've acquired a talented director, honestly, that individual now heading your whole enterprise, is superb – based on what I've heard,” he remarked.

The president was especially enthusiastic in complimenting the executive and his father, Larry, the recent purchaser of CBS News’ parent company, Paramount, through their company Skydance Media.

“I think one of the best things to happen is this show and new ownership, CBS and new ownership,” the president said. “I think it’s the greatest thing that’s happened for years to a free and open and reliable media.”

The correspondent did not directly respond to the president’s comments about Weiss and the Ellisons.

Included in the president's responses which were cut were multiple statements questioning the integrity of the last election, which he described “was rigged and unlawfully taken”.

During one exchange in the interview, in a segment that was not aired, the president tried to get O’Donnell to acknowledge that safety had improved in the capital, her place of residence.

“You reside in DC. You are aware of this,” Trump said, asking O’Donnell: “Have you noticed any change?”

“I believe I have been occupied too hard,” she replied. “I haven’t been outside that much … I get in my car and go to work and return home.”

Trump said “that is an evasion” and insisted that O’Donnell noticed a difference.

The president then implied that the exchange didn’t need be included on the show.

“It is unnecessary to use that one,” he noted. “No concerns, it's fine, I don’t want to embarrass her.”