(Nick Oxford and Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP)
Early Thursday morning, Donald Trump intensified his criticism of CBS, accusing the network of “deceptively editing” an interview with Vice President Kamala Harris on 60 Minutes. Trump, through his platform on Truth Social, claimed that CBS had manipulated the interview to present Harris more favorably, declaring that this development was “totally illegal” and demanding the government “take away the CBS license.”
The controversy centers around a taped interview in which Harris discussed the ongoing conflict between Israel and Gaza. Trump’s accusation, made on Wednesday, suggested that CBS edited the interview in a way that altered Harris’ response to a question about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and whether he was listening to the Biden administration’s concerns regarding the war in Gaza. Trump’s remarks have drawn sharp criticism, with some commentators calling his reaction “dictator talk.”
The segment in question featured Harris being asked by 60 Minutes correspondent Bill Whitaker if Netanyahu was listening to U.S. concerns about the war. In a promotional clip shared on social media, Harris responded: “The work that we have done has resulted in a number of movements in that region by Israel that were very much prompted by or a result of many things, including our advocacy for what needs to happen in the region.”
However, in the full interview that aired Monday night, her immediate response to the same question was different: “We are not going to stop pursuing what is necessary for the United States to be clear about where we stand on the need for this war to end.” This discrepancy led Trump’s campaign to accuse CBS of deliberately altering the interview to benefit Harris.
“A giant Fake News Scam by CBS & 60 Minutes. Her REAL ANSWER WAS CRAZY, OR DUMB, so they actually REPLACED it with another answer in order to save her or, at least, make her look better,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “A FAKE NEWS SCAM, which is totally illegal. told by Alternet.
He escalated his demand, calling for CBS to lose its broadcasting license and for Harris to “concede the election,” though there is no active presidential race involving Harris at present. “TAKE AWAY THE CBS LICENSE. Election Interference. She is a Moron, and the Fake News Media wants to hide that fact,” Trump continued. “An UNPRECEDENTED SCANDAL!!! The Dems got them to do this and should be forced to concede the Election? WOW!”
This latest attack by Trump has once again fueled the debate over media manipulation, free speech, and the role of news organizations in shaping public perception, with his critics labeling his remarks as further attempts to discredit the press.
