Trump, 60 Minutes/ Harris/ Election 2024/ CBS Election Special/ Trump skips interview/ Newslooks/ NEW YORK/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Republican nominee Donald Trump has declined an interview with CBS’s “60 Minutes” for its upcoming election special. Vice President Kamala Harris will appear solo in the special, which airs Monday, October 2, following Trump’s withdrawal.
Trump Won’t Participate in ‘60 Minutes’ Interview for Election Special: Quick Looks
- Trump Declines: Donald Trump has pulled out of an election interview with CBS’s “60 Minutes.”
- Harris Featured Solo: Vice President Kamala Harris will appear alone in the special, which airs on Monday.
- Campaign Tensions: Trump’s campaign cited issues with live fact-checking as a reason for the withdrawal.
- No Debate Plans: This leaves no other opportunities for voters to see Harris and Trump together before the election.
Trump Skips ’60 Minutes’ Election Interview, Harris to Appear Alone
Deep Look
CBS News announced on Tuesday that Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has declined to participate in an upcoming “60 Minutes” interview for its election special. The show, a staple of CBS’s programming during election season, will now go ahead with only Democratic nominee Kamala Harris featured.
Scheduled to air Monday, October 2, this special marks a deviation from the usual Sunday slot, as CBS will be airing the American Music Awards. “60 Minutes” typically invites both presidential candidates for back-to-back interviews on the same night, allowing viewers to compare their positions. However, this year’s format will see Vice President Harris appear solo in a prerecorded interview with correspondent Bill Whitaker.
Campaign Reactions
Trump’s withdrawal from the interview came after initial discussions between the campaign and CBS, which appeared to suggest that both candidates would participate. CBS stated that Trump’s campaign had originally agreed to the interview before backing out. Scott Pelley, the CBS correspondent who was scheduled to interview Trump, will explain the former president’s absence to viewers during the program.
When asked for further clarification, Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung dismissed the situation as “fake news,” claiming that while there were discussions, no interview had been finalized. Cheung also criticized “60 Minutes” for allegedly insisting on live fact-checking during the interview, a requirement he described as “unprecedented.” CBS did not immediately comment on this claim.
A Missed Opportunity for Voter Comparison
This decision leaves Harris and Trump with no further scheduled opportunities for voters to directly compare them in an interview setting. Although Harris and Trump had previously debated on September 10, Trump has yet to accept an invitation for a second debate hosted by CNN later this month. Harris, meanwhile, has agreed to the CNN debate, which could further showcase her policy positions and leadership approach.
The canceled interview brings to mind Trump’s contentious 2020 interview with “60 Minutes” correspondent Lesley Stahl. That session famously ended with Trump cutting the interview short, and his campaign later posted the unedited transcript online. Trump’s refusal to appear this time leaves Harris as the sole voice in a prime-time special where both candidates traditionally present their platforms.
