President Donald Trump is set to make a comeback on CBS's "60 Minutes" this weekend, marking his first appearance on the show since resolving a legal dispute with CBS News over an interview with Kamala Harris.
The interview was conducted by Norah O'Donnell, a CBS journalist, at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate on Friday and is scheduled to be broadcast this Sunday.
Trump's relationship with the widely-watched television newsmagazine has been fraught with tension, as reported by CBS News. However, the President has hinted at a more amicable relationship with CBS News following the acquisition of its parent company by new Paramount CEO David Ellison, son of Larry Ellison, a prominent Trump supporter.
The specifics of how the interview was arranged or any conditions that may have been set were not disclosed by CBS News.
O'Donnell, previously an anchor for "CBS Evening News," is not a regular correspondent for the show. Trump's previous interaction with "60 Minutes" was marked by controversy when he abruptly left an interview with correspondent Lesley Stahl before the 2020 election, accusing her of bias. His team subsequently released an unedited transcript of the conversation. Despite being invited, Trump declined to participate in a "60 Minutes" interview during the 2024 election campaign.
He criticized the newsmagazine's interview with Harris, his Democratic opponent, claiming it was misleadingly edited to portray her in a positive light. CBS News vehemently denied any misconduct, but Trump proceeded to sue the company. Paramount opted to settle the lawsuit with Trump for $16 million this summer, shortly before the Federal Communications Commission approved Paramount's merger with Ellison's Skydance Media.
Following the lawsuit, Bill Owens, the executive producer of "60 Minutes," resigned last spring, stating that he could no longer independently manage the program. Since assuming his role at Paramount, Ellison has indicated a closer relationship with Trump.
He appointed Kenneth Weinstein, former head of a conservative think tank and a contributor to Trump's 2024 campaign, to investigate allegations of bias in the network's reporting.
In a significant move, Paramount acquired the Free Press website in October and appointed its founder, Bari Weiss, as the new editor-in-chief of CBS News. Weiss is believed to have played a role in arranging an interview on "60 Minutes" with Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and aide Steve Witkoff, discussing the peace deal in Gaza.
On his return flight from the Middle East on October 12, Trump praised the Ellisons, saying, "Larry Ellison is great, and his son David is great. They're friends of mine. They're big supporters of mine, and they'll do the right thing."
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Trump's return to "60 Minutes" this weekend, his first appearance since settling a lawsuit with CBS News over an interview with Kamala Harris, signifies a potential shift in his relationship with the media. The President's conservative perspective and his ongoing influence on American politics continue to be subjects of interest and debate.
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