Trump tells Lesley Stahl he doesn't want 'tough questions' in 60 Minutes interview he leaked
As promised, President Trump has leaked his entire 60 Minutes interview days before it's scheduled to broadcast.
After Trump was apparently unhappy about an interview with Lesley Stahl of 60 Minutes this week, on Thursday, he released his own footage of the conversation before the network could air it. The 37-minute video posted to Trump's Facebook page opens with Stahl promising the president will "get fairness" but asking Trump, "You're okay with some tough questions?" Trump responds, "No, I'm not."
Another contentious moment was when Trump complained Stahl has a "negative attitude" after she said he "used to have bigger rallies." Stahl also repeatedly pressed Trump to explain how he'll protect pre-existing conditions if the Supreme Court ends ObamaCare, as Trump says he's hoping for, but he provided no details on the "fully developed" health care plan he claimed will be "announced very soon."
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Trump ended the interview by circling back to complain about Stahl's promise of "tough questions," declaring that "I think we have enough" before walking out. CNN reported that Trump "abruptly ended" the interview and also "did not return for an appearance he was supposed to tape with Vice President Mike Pence."
Posting the footage of the interview early was in violation of an agreement Trump and the White House made with CBS to film the conversation "for archival purposes only," The Washington Post reports. CBS News said in a statement that "the White House's unprecedented decision to disregard their agreement with CBS News and release their footage will not deter 60 Minutes from providing its full, fair and contextual reporting which presidents have participated in for decades." Brendan Morrow
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Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
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