CBS News has broken its silence on allegations of deceitful editing in a recent “60 Minutes” interview with Vice President Kamala Harris. The network is pushing back against claims made by former President Donald Trump. CBS insists that the editing was done to make Harris’ answer “more succinct” while maintaining accuracy and clarity.
The controversy erupted after the airing of the interview with Harris earlier this month, where two different answers to the same question were broadcast on separate CBS programs. Trump and his allies quickly seized on the discrepancy, accusing the network of manipulating the interview to make the Democratic nominee appear more competent.
In a statement released Sunday evening, CBS News addressed the mounting backlash: “Former President Donald Trump is accusing ’60 Minutes’ of deceitful editing of our Oct. 7, 2024 interview with Vice President Kamala Harris. That is false.”
The network explained that a longer excerpt of Harris’ answer was provided to “Face the Nation,” while a more concise version aired on “60 Minutes.” CBS News emphasized that both segments featured the “Same question. Same answer,” but with different portions of the response highlighted.
CBS News defended its editing practices, stating, “When we edit any interview, whether a politician, an athlete, or movie star, we strive to be clear, accurate, and on point. The portion of her answer on “60 Minutes” was more succinct, which allows time for other subjects in a wide-ranging 21-minute-long segment.”
The interview focused on the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, with Harris fielding questions about U.S. relations with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. A nearly two-and-a-half-minute teaser clip of Harris’ interview was initially shown on “Face the Nation” on October 6, but her response was condensed to a single sentence in the “60 Minutes” broadcast the following day.
Trump, who had declined to participate in the “60 Minutes” pre-election special, took to social media to criticize Harris and the network. He claimed that Harris gave a “horrible, incompetent answer.” He accused CBS News of replacing it with “a much shorter answer that you had to do with a totally different subject, which also didn’t make sense, but it wasn’t as incompetent.”
The former President has threatened legal action, indicating his intent to subpoena their records to investigate the extent of the alleged editing. Karoline Leavitt, a spokesperson for Trump’s campaign, described CBS News’ statement as not a denial but an acknowledgment that they did exactly what they were accused of.
In response to the growing controversy, CBS News has reaffirmed its longstanding invitation for Trump to appear on “60 Minutes.” The network was willing to host him to discuss national issues and the Harris interview.
The scandal has taken on additional dimensions with the revelation that CBS News chief executive Wendy McMahon had previously donated over $6,000 to Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential campaign and Democratic fundraising platforms while employed at ABC. It’s worth noting that CBS News employees are prohibited from making political donations. McMahon was not directly involved in editing the Harris interview.
As the debate over journalistic integrity and editing practices continues, FCC chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel has weighed in on Trump’s calls to revoke CBS’s broadcast license. Rosenworcel noted that while repeated attacks on broadcast stations by the former President may have become common, these threats against free speech are serious and should not be overlooked. She emphasized that the FCC does not revoke licenses due to political disagreements over content or coverage.
As both sides continue to defend their positions, the incident has reignited discussions about media bias, editorial decisions, and news organizations’ responsibility in political coverage.