Trump’s Bold Remarks at CBS Evening News Interview
During a recent interview with Tony Dokoupil on CBS Evening News, President Trump candidly stated that Dokoupil owed his current job and salary to Trump’s success in the 2024 election. This statement was made directly to Dokoupil during a live broadcast from a Ford plant in Detroit.
The president suggested that Dokoupil’s promotion was a result of the Paramount-Skydance merger, which received approval during Trump’s administration. He seemed rather dismissive about anchor salaries overall.
When the discussion shifted to the economy, Trump adopted a personal tone towards Dokoupil, who has faced some scrutiny since assuming the anchor role.
“Tony, we have the hottest country in the world right now. But just a year and a half ago, things were dire. You wouldn’t have this job currently if she had won,” Trump remarked, referencing the defeat of Kamala Harris in the elections.
He also made a passing comment about David Ellison, the CEO of Paramount Skydance, hinting that potential financial troubles could arise. “Your boss is a great guy, but he might go bankrupt, right?” Trump quipped.
When Dokoupil questioned this, the conversation took a sharper tone. Trump continued, “I guess it’s his situation, but we’ll never know. Just to be clear, you wouldn’t have this job—no matter the salary.” Dokoupil attempted to respond, but Trump quickly dismissed him again by referring to salary again.
“For the record, if the other guys win, I think I’d take this job,” Dokoupil noted, to which Trump retorted, “Yeah, but it doesn’t pay much.”
The Post has reached out to CBS News and Paramount Skydance for their views on the matter.
In late 2024, Trump initiated a $10 billion lawsuit against CBS over a “60 Minutes” interview segment featuring Harris, claiming it was misleadingly edited to influence the election. Initially, Paramount Global, CBS’s parent company, asserted it would contest the lawsuit, but later settled for $16 million following the election.
This compensation led to significant backlash within newsroom circles and resulted in the resignations of CBS News President Wendy McMahon and “60 Minutes” executive producer Bill Owens.
Not long after, the FCC approved the long-awaited merger of Paramount and Skydance Media. This deal, valued around $8 billion, placed Mr. Ellison in charge of CBS and its news division.
Dokoupil, formerly co-hosting “CBS Mornings,” was recently elevated to the evening anchor role by the newly appointed editor-in-chief, Bari Weiss. This repositioning marks a notable shift in the network’s editorial direction.
Weiss, shortly after assuming control in October, made her influence known by altering reporting approaches and reinvigorating flagship broadcasts, including the CBS Evening News, which previously suffered in ratings with its former co-anchor structure.
By December, Weiss promoted Dokoupil to take center stage in the network’s transition, emphasizing a new chapter for CBS News.
