Trump backs out of 60 Minutes interview, Harris to participate – Washington Examiner
In a recent development, Vice President Kamala Harris is scheduled to be interviewed by CBS News’ ”60 Minutes” on Monday, an event that was supposed to feature a simultaneous appearance by former President Donald Trump. However, Trump has reportedly opted out of the interview after initially agreeing to participate, citing concerns over the network’s intention to fact-check the conversation. CBS News confirmed that the Harris interview will proceed as planned and reiterated their standing invitation to Trump. The network emphasized its long-standing tradition of inviting both Democratic and Republican candidates for interviews leading up to elections. In response to Trump’s withdrawal, his campaign claimed that there were never definitive arrangements for the interview and criticized CBS News as “fake news,” alleging that the network had previously misrepresented facts.
Harris to sit down with 60 Minutes, Trump reportedly backs out
Vice President Kamala Harris will sit down with CBS News’s 60 Minutes on Monday in what was intended to be a back-to-back special with former President Donald Trump, but he declined the appearance after initially accepting.
In a statement posted before the vice presidential debate Tuesday evening, CBS News said both the Harris and Trump campaigns agreed to sit down for an interview, Harris with correspondent Bill Whitaker and Trump with Scott Pelley. The Trump campaign, however, backed out of the program after learning the network would be fact-checking the interview.
“For over half a century, 60 Minutes has invited the Democratic and Republican tickets to appear on our broadcast as Americans head to the polls,” the statement from CBS News said.
“Our election special will broadcast the Harris interview on Monday as planned. Our original invitation to former President Donald Trump to be interviewed on 60 Minutes stands,” the statement continued.
The network was notified of the change of plans from the Trump campaign on Tuesday. Pelley was set to attend Trump’s campaign rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday before sitting with Trump for an interview. In a statement to CNN, the Trump campaign said CBS News was lying about Trump being scheduled for the program.
“Fake News. 60 Minutes begged for an interview, even after they were caught lying about Hunter Biden’s laptop back in 2020. There were initial discussions, but nothing was ever scheduled or locked in,” Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung said. “They insisted on cutting out of the interview to do fact-checking.”
“Now that they’ve lied about the interaction, they just f***ed themselves,” Cheung added.
Pelley is expected to address the matter on Monday.
The Harris campaign was quick to hit Trump’s change of plans.
“Afraid of the debate stage. Afraid of 60 Minutes. And his campaign team — after the last three days of increasingly unhinged and unstable ranting at his rallies — is clearly afraid of exposing him beyond comfortable confines,” Harris senior adviser David Plouffe said.
In 2020, Trump’s 60 Minutes interview with CBS News’s Lesley Stahl was abruptly cut short after Trump became irritated by Stahl’s questions. Trump reportedly cut the interview short and then declined to participate in a “walk and talk” segment with Stahl and then-Vice President Mike Pence.
60 Minutes is the most-watched newsmagazine program in the United States.
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