CBS News Heavily Edits Donald Trump's TV Program Interview, Removing Boast About Network Compensating Him Substantial Funds

The broadcast network program 60 Minutes significantly trimmed an interview featuring the former president broadcast Sunday night, representing the initial sit-down with the program in five years.

The former president sat down alongside journalist Norah O’Donnell over an hour and a half, but only approximately half an hour aired on television. The full text version of the interview subsequently released, alongside an extended digital cut of the conversation.

These cuts are notable since, exactly one year prior to Trump's interview on the program in Florida, he filed suit against CBS over the editing from another 60 Minutes segment with then-Vice President Kamala Harris, which he alleged was manipulated to help her campaign in the presidential election.

While numerous attorneys widely dismissed the lawsuit as “meritless” and unlikely to succeed on free speech grounds, CBS reached an agreement with the president for millions in July. As part of the settlement, the network had agreed that it would publish full records from upcoming discussions of presidential candidates.

During the opening of the broadcast, the correspondent reminded viewers that Paramount settled the legal dispute, but noted that “the settlement did not include any admission or expression of regret”.

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

“Actually 60 Minutes paid me a substantial sum. You need not include this, because I don’t wanna cause you discomfort, and I’m sure that you are not,” Trump said. “But the show had to compensate me a lot of money because they took her answer from the segment which was damaging, it proved election-changing, two nights before the election. And they put a new answer into the broadcast. And they paid me a lot of money for that. You can’t have false reporting. You’ve gotta have legit news. And I think that it’s happening.”

In a separate segment not broadcast of the interview, the president commended the acquisition of the network to new owners noting the broadcaster's recently appointed head, Bari Weiss, was a “excellent addition”.

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

“I think you've acquired a talented director, honestly, who’s the young woman that’s leading your entire organization, is superb – based on what I've heard,” he remarked.

The president was particularly effusive in complimenting the executive and his parent, Larry Ellison, the recent purchaser of the network's parent firm, Paramount Global, via their firm Skydance Media.

“I think a very positive development recently is this show and new ownership, CBS and new ownership,” the president said. “I think it’s the greatest thing that has occurred for years to a free and open and reliable media.”

The correspondent offered no direct reply to the president’s comments about Weiss and the Ellisons.

Among the president's responses which were cut were multiple statements questioning the legitimacy of the last election, which he described “was rigged and stolen”.

During one exchange in the interview, in a part that was not aired, the president tried to get the journalist to admit that safety had improved in Washington DC, where she lives.

“You reside in DC. You know that too,” the president remarked, inquiring of the correspondent: “Have you noticed a difference?”

“I believe I have been occupied too hard,” she responded. “I haven’t been outside often … I get in my car to the studio and I go home.”

Trump said “that’s not a fair answer” maintaining that O’Donnell had observed a difference.

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

“It is unnecessary to include that part,” he noted. “Don’t worry, it's fine, I do not wish to cause her embarrassment.”