60 Minutes Edits Trump Interview, Omitting $16M Settlement Claim

A recent 90-minute sit-down interview between former President Donald Trump and CBS News’ “60 Minutes” correspondent Norah O’Donnell, which aired Sunday evening, was significantly condensed for broadcast, with substantial portions left on the cutting room floor. The program, marking Trump’s first appearance on the show in five years, aired only approximately 28 minutes of the extensive discussion. However, a full transcript and a 73-minute extended version were later made available online, revealing segments omitted from the televised program.

Unaired Comments on Network Settlement

The extensive editing is particularly noteworthy given Trump’s contentious history with CBS. Exactly one year prior to his interview with O’Donnell at his Mar-a-Lago resort, Trump had initiated a lawsuit against the network. His previous legal action concerned the editing of a “60 Minutes” interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris, which he alleged was deceptively altered to bolster her prospects in the presidential election.

Despite numerous legal experts widely dismissing the lawsuit as “meritless” and unlikely to withstand First Amendment challenges, CBS ultimately reached a settlement with Trump for $16 million in July. A key component of this agreement stipulated that the network would commit to releasing full transcripts of future interviews involving presidential candidates.

Broadcast Acknowledges Lawsuit, Omits Trump’s Boast

At the commencement of Sunday’s broadcast, O’Donnell informed viewers about Paramount’s settlement of Trump’s lawsuit. She specifically highlighted that “the settlement did not include an apology or admission of wrongdoing” from the network. Yet, a crucial exchange regarding this very settlement was conspicuously absent from the televised segment.

In a clip that did not air, Trump directly confronted CBS about the payout, reiterating his prior accusations against the organization. “Actually 60 Minutes paid me a lotta money. And you don’t have to put this on, because I don’t wanna embarrass you, and I’m sure you’re not,” Trump stated. He continued, asserting, “But 60 Minutes was forced to pay me a lot of money because they took her answer out that was so bad, it was election-changing, two nights before the election. And they put a new answer in. And they paid me a lot of money for that. You can’t have fake news. You’ve gotta have legit news. And I think that it’s happening.”

Praise for New Leadership Also Cut

Another segment excluded from the broadcast featured Trump expressing approval for the sale of CBS to the Ellison family. He also lauded the network’s new editor-in-chief, Bari Weiss, describing her as a “great new leader.” These comments, alongside his remarks on the substantial settlement, offer a glimpse into the unfiltered content that viewers could only access through the extended online version or transcript.

The extensive cuts to the former president’s interview, especially those touching upon his previous legal victory against the network and his criticisms of “fake news,” underscore the complex editorial decisions made by “60 Minutes.” The release of the full transcript and extended footage provides a more complete picture, allowing the public to evaluate the scope of the original conversation and the network’s editing choices.

Source: The Guardian