(Gage Skidmore)
Former President Donald Trump launched a baseless accusation against CBS‘s “60 Minutes” on Wednesday, claiming the program deceptively edited its interview with Vice President Kamala Harris to make her appear “more Presidential.”
Posting on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump accused the long-running news show of manipulating Harris’s responses during the interview. He wrote, “I’ve never seen this before, but the producers of 60 Minutes 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 at least, better.”
Trump suggested that the alleged edits were not only unethical but potentially illegal, adding that it could also amount to a “major Campaign Finance Violation.” He further stated, “This is a stain on the reputation of 60 Minutes that is not recoverable – It will always remain with this once storied brand. I have never heard of such a thing being done in the 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!”
Despite Trump’s claims, there is no evidence to support his accusations. In fact, the full interview with Vice President Harris is available on YouTube, where she speaks clearly and coherently, with no noticeable edits to her responses. Harris discussed a variety of topics, including her role as vice president and key political issues, without any apparent manipulation of her words.
Trump’s comments come in the wake of his own decision to back out of an interview with “60 Minutes“ last week. According to reports, the former president pulled out after the program indicated they would fact-check his statements, including his widely debunked claim that Haitian immigrants were eating local pets in Springfield, Ohio.
While the former president continues to criticize mainstream media outlets like “60 Minutes”, this latest accusation appears to be yet another example of his ongoing war against the press. Trump’s frequent attacks on the media have been a hallmark of his political career, with the term “Fake News” becoming a common refrain among his supporters.
At this point, there has been no official response from CBS or “60 Minutes” regarding Trump’s accusations. However, given the public availability of the interview, it is unlikely that his claims will gain much traction beyond his core base of followers.
