Former President Donald Trump repeated his criticism that CBS News “changed” the answers of Vice President Kamala Harris from a “60 Minutes” interview by editing her comments.
“Just imagine, ‘60 Minutes’ actually took Lyin’ Kamala’s answers, and CHANGED THEM. It’s unthinkable. They are in big trouble!” he wrote in an X post Wednesday.
In an earlier post Wednesday, the GOP nominee said the “producers of the show sliced and diced (‘cut and pasted’) Lyin’ Kamala’s answers to questions, which were virtually incoherent, over and over again, some by as many as four times in a single sentence or thought, all in an effort, possibly illegal as part of the ‘News Division,’ which must be licensed, to make her look ‘more Presidential,’ or a least, better,” he wrote.
He said the edits “may also be a major Campaign Finance Violation.”
“This is a stain on the reputation of 60 Minutes that is not recoverable – It will always remain with this once storied brand,” he wrote. “I have never heard of such a thing being done in ‘News.’ It is the very definition of FAKE NEWS! The public is owed a MAJOR AND IMMEDIATE APOLOGY! This is an open and shut case, and must be investigated, starting today!”
Mr. Trump is referring to a clip that “60 Minutes” released as a teaser to the interview where CBS journalist Bill Whitaker asked Ms. Harris a question about the Israel-Gaza war. In the full interview, the clip seems to be edited or shortened, which isn’t uncommon for TV and radio broadcasts.
On Tuesday, the Trump campaign demanded the release of the unedited interview with Ms. Harris.
“On Sunday, 60 Minutes teased Kamala’s highly-anticipated sit-down interview with one of her worst word salads to date, which received significant criticism on social media. During the full interview on Monday evening, the word salad was deceptively edited to lessen Kamala’s idiotic response,” National Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement.
“Why did 60 Minutes choose not to air Kamala’s full word salad, and what else did they choose not to air? The American people deserve the full, unedited transcript from Kamala’s sit-down interview. We call upon 60 Minutes and CBS to release it. What do they, and Kamala, have to hide?” she wrote.
Mr. Trump bashed the interview saying that Ms. Harris “literally had no idea what she was talking about, and it was an embarrassment to our Country that a Major Party Candidate would be so completely inept.”
Typically, both presidential candidates sit for a “60 Minutes” interview ahead of the election. Mr. Trump said yes to the interview initially, but wound up backing out before the taping.
A Harris campaign aide said the campaign does “not control” the production decisions made by the network and refer questions to CBS.
The Washington Times has reached to CBS News for comment.
• Mallory Wilson can be reached at mwilson@washingtontimes.com.
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