The Donald Trump campaign has launched a scathing critique of CBS News' "60 Minutes" following the show's defense of its controversial editing of an interview with Vice President Kamala Harris.
Fox News reported that the Trump campaign released a statement on Sunday, accusing the long-running news program of manipulating Kamala Harris' responses to make her seem more coherent.
This accusation followed a statement from "60 Minutes" defending its editing practices against claims of deceptive editing. The controversy arose from an October 7 interview with Harris, where two different answers to the same question were aired on separate CBS programs.
In their statement, the Trump campaign called for "60 Minutes" to release the complete transcript of the Harris interview. They argued that the show's response to the editing allegations was "not a denial" but rather an admission of altering the vice president's words to present her in a more favorable light.
The campaign's statement read:
60 Minutes just admitted to doing exactly what President Trump accused them of doing. They edited in a different response - from another part of her answer - to make Kamala Harris sound less incoherent than she really was. Their statement is not a denial, it is an admission that they did exactly what they were accused of.
The Trump team further criticized the news program, calling it "hopelessly biased" and suggesting that this incident validates the former president's decision to decline an interview invitation from "60 Minutes."
In response to the mounting criticism, CBS News broke its silence on Sunday evening with a statement defending its editing decisions. The network denied any deceptive practices, explaining that different portions of Harris' answer were used for different programs, with the "60 Minutes" segment featuring a more concise version due to time constraints.
CBS News also reiterated its standing invitation to former President Trump for an interview, stating they would be "happy to have him on 60 Minutes" to discuss national issues and the Harris interview controversy.
The root of the dispute lies in the discrepancy between Harris' responses as aired on "Face the Nation" and the primetime "60 Minutes" broadcast. The initial, longer answer aired on "Face the Nation" drew mockery from conservatives on social media, who criticized it as a "word salad."
However, when the full interview aired on "60 Minutes," a shorter, more polished response from Harris was shown instead. This edit led to accusations that CBS had deliberately chosen a more flattering clip of the vice president following the backlash to her initial answer.
As the controversy continues to unfold, there are growing calls for CBS News to release the unedited footage or a full transcript of the Harris interview. Critics argue that such transparency is necessary to restore trust in the network's reporting practices.
The Trump campaign's forceful response and demand for the release of the full transcript have intensified the scrutiny on "60 Minutes" and its editorial decisions. This incident has reignited debates about media bias and the responsibilities of news organizations in presenting accurate and unaltered information to the public.
The dispute between the Trump campaign and "60 Minutes" centers on the editing of Vice President Kamala Harris' interview. CBS News has defended its editing practices, stating that different portions of Harris' answer were used for different programs. The Trump campaign has accused the show of manipulating Harris' responses to make her appear more coherent and has called for the release of the full interview transcript.
