US President Donald Trump is set to feature on Sunday’s edition of CBS’s flagship news programme, 60 Minutes, in his first extensive television interview since the Republican Party suffered significant defeats in the midterm elections.
The interview was recorded on Friday morning and conducted by Ross Douthat, a former New York Times columnist who recently joined the programme as a correspondent.
Douthat, a conservative commentator known for his criticism of Trump, previously interviewed Vice President JD Vance on his podcast while working at The New York Times.
In an opinion article published earlier this week, Douthat described the Republicans’ midterm performance as a setback for what he called “the New Right.”
CBS shared a photograph on Friday afternoon showing Douthat and Trump engaged in a conversation inside the Oval Office. The network disclosed that the discussion covered the midterm elections, the incoming Congress and Trump’s remaining time in office.
Other issues raised during the interview included the war in Iran and the state of the US economy.
Douthat was joined during the White House visit by CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss and 60 Minutes executive producer Nick Bilton.
Trump’s relationship with 60 Minutes has been marked by several controversial encounters over the years. His most recent appearance was in April, shortly after a shooting incident at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
That interview, conducted by Norah O’Donnell, became heated, with Trump describing the presenter as a “disgrace” and telling the programme’s journalists, “You’re horrible people.”
The US president has also regularly criticised the newsmagazine through posts on his Truth Social platform, demonstrating his continued interest in its coverage. He is equally conscious of the programme’s influence and strong television ratings.
Last Sunday’s broadcast attracted an average audience of 10 million viewers, benefiting from its scheduling immediately after an NFL game.
Trump declined to participate in a conventional pre-election interview with 60 Minutes ahead of the 2024 presidential election. However, his Democratic opponent, Kamala Harris, accepted the invitation and appeared on the programme.
Following the broadcast, Trump instituted a lawsuit against CBS, accusing the network of deceptively editing Harris’s interview.
Although legal experts described the case as lacking merit, CBS’s then-owners agreed to settle the dispute by paying Trump $16 million. The decision triggered widespread criticism within the American media industry.
The legal dispute and subsequent settlement created significant tensions within the 60 Minutes newsroom, but further upheaval followed after the Ellison family assumed control of CBS last year.
Weiss subsequently became head of CBS News and introduced changes that unsettled the programme’s longstanding culture of editorial independence.
Last spring, she removed several senior producers and correspondents from their positions before appointing technology journalist and filmmaker Nick Bilton as the programme’s executive producer.
Weiss and Bilton later brought in several new correspondents and contributors, including Douthat, who featured in last weekend’s broadcast, interviewing Senate candidates in Michigan.
