“Guided by the truth”: CBS shares transcripts, unedited Harris interview to counter Trump suit

CBS shared the transcripts and unedited footage of their interview with former Vice President Kamala Harris on Wednesday, in an attempt to counter claims from a $10 billion lawsuit filed by President Donald Trump. 

Trump filed the lawsuit against the network ahead of Election Day, claiming a “60 Minutes” interview with Harris was edited deceitfully. Trump said the network engaged in “partisan and unlawful acts of election and voter interference” by editing an answer Harris gave about the Biden administration’s relationship with Benjamin Netanyahu. The network aired a longer version of the answer during a promo on “Face the Nation.” The answer was cut down to fit within the segment when it aired on “60 Minutes.”  

“CBS’s distortion of the ’60 Minutes’ interview damaged President Trump’s fundraising and support values by several billions of dollars, particularly in Texas,” the lawsuit alleged.

In their post sharing transcripts of all three portions of the interview as well as the unedited video footage from the different shoots, CBS explained their editing process. 

“In reporting the news, journalists regularly edit interviews – for time, space or clarity. In making these edits, ’60 Minutes’ is always guided by the truth and what we believe will be most informative to the viewing public – all while working within the constraints of broadcast television,” they wrote.

The network added that their transcripts and video  “show – consistent with 60 Minutes’ repeated assurances to the public – that the 60 Minutes broadcast was not doctored or deceitful.”   

The release of the transcripts and video comes just days after rumors circulated that CBS’ parent company might settle with President Trump. Word of a settlement filtered out from the C-suite as Paramount brass worried that the Trump admin might squash an attempted merger with Skydance. 

ABC News followed similar math late last year, choosing not to fight a defamation suit brought after anchor George Stephanopoulos said Trump had been found “liable for rape.”