Journalist Lesley Stahl speaks at an event at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City, N.Y., on Oct. 10, 2019. (Jemal Countess/Getty Images for Student Leadership Network)
President Donald Trump on Tuesday after an interview with CBS News’ “60 Minutes” expressed discontent at interviewer Lesley Stahl, threatening to post what he calls a “biased” interview ahead of its scheduled airing on Sunday.
“I am pleased to inform you that, for the sake of accuracy in reporting, I am considering posting my interview with Lesley Stahl of 60 Minutes, PRIOR TO AIRTIME!” he wrote on Twitter. “This will be done so that everybody can get a glimpse of what a FAKE and BIASED interview is all about.”
“Everyone should compare this terrible Electoral Intrusion with the recent interviews of Sleepy Joe Biden!” Trump added.
Trump also shared a 5-second video of Stahl not wearing a mask in the White House after the interview with him.
“Much more to come,” Trump wrote.
At a campaign rally in Erie, Pennsylvania, the president told supporters, “You have to watch what we do to 60 Minutes.”
“You’re gonna get such a kick out of it. You’re gonna get a kick out of it. Lesley Stahl’s not gonna be happy,” he added, reported Newsweek.
President Donald Trump holds a campaign rally at North Coast Air aeronautical services at Erie International Airport in Erie, Penn., on Oct. 20, 2020. (Jeff Swensen/Getty Images)
CBS News reported Tuesday that Trump cut short the interview with Stahl. According to the outlet, the program “60 Minutes” said that the White House said it would record the interview only for its archives.
CBS News said that the video that the president shared of Stahl showed her speaking with her producers, all of whom had tested negative for COVID-19 on the same day.
CNN White House correspondent Kaitlan Collins reported that the president “abruptly ended” a solo interview with “60 Minutes” around 45 minutes in, citing unnamed sources. She also reported that Trump “did not return for a scheduled walk & talk he was supposed to tape with Pence.”
“[Former Vice President Joe Biden] and [Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.)] were also interviewed by 60 Minutes & all are scheduled to appear in the same program. While Biden and Harris taped their interviews separately, Trump and Pence were scheduled to appear on camera together. They ultimately did not and Pence taped his separately,” she wrote on Twitter.
But Trump campaign adviser Jason Miller refuted the account, saying that the interview did not end abruptly.
“Very fake news!” he wrote in response to Collins’s Twitter post. “No drama, interview was not ended abruptly and we have the receipts from the interview - all of them!
“Maybe we need to put the whole thing out so people can see for themselves?” Miller added. “Lesley’s a bad example for mask wearing, Kaitlan—don’t follow her lead!!!”
CBS News’ “60 Minutes” said that the program has a history of interviewing presidential candidates in the lead-up to Election Day.
The program did not immediately respond to a request from The Epoch Times for a comment on the president’s recent remarks.
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