Former President Donald Trump and Sen. JD Vance (R-OH) criticized CBS News’ “60 Minutes” on Thursday for ignoring the controversy over the misleading edits made to its interview with Vice President Kamala Harris.
“A giant Fake News Scam by CBS & 60 Minutes,” Trump posted on X alongside a video of one of the edits that the show made. “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.”
“A FAKE NEWS SCAM, which is totally illegal,” he added. “TAKE AWAY THE CBS LICENSE. Election Interference. She is a Moron, and the Fake News Media wants to hide that fact. An UNPRECEDENTED SCANDAL!!!”
In a post on Truth Social, Trump called the edits the “biggest scandal in broadcast history.”
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. A FAKE NEWS SCAM, which is totally illegal. TAKE AWAY THE CBS LICENSE. Election Interference.… pic.twitter.com/JRxSda3NeC
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 10, 2024
Vance, who is Trump’s vice presidential running mate, called for the show to release the complete interview.
“If 60 Minutes had an ounce of integrity, they would release the full, unedited interview,” Vance posted on X.
“The person who can’t answer basic questions about national security wants to be our next president,” he added. “Show us what she actually said, in full.”
Trump and Vance’s remarks follow the show’s release of two conflicting responses from Harris regarding comments made by host Bill Whitaker. This exchange occurred while Whitaker was discussing U.S. financial support for Israel in its conflict with terrorist groups in the region.
“But it seems that Prime Minister Netanyahu is not listening,” Whitaker said to Harris.
In a promotional clip that was posted by CBS News on Sunday, Harris responded to that statement from Whitaker by saying: “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, when the network published the full interview on Monday night, Harris’s statement was missing. It was not included in the television broadcast, the YouTube posting, the interview transcript, or the show’s “Overtime” segment.
Instead, both on TV and online, Whitaker’s repeated remark that “it seems that Prime Minister Netanyahu is not listening” is followed by Harris stating, “We are not gonna stop pursuing what is necessary for the United States to be clear about where we stand on the need for this war to end.”