Trump Critiques CBS and 60 Minutes Leadership
Former President Donald Trump has expressed dissatisfaction with the current leadership at CBS and their flagship program, “60 Minutes.” He claims that under the new management, he has faced worse treatment than before.
In a recent post, Trump stated, “For those who think I’m close to the new CBS owners, please recognize that since the so-called ‘takeover,’ ’60 Minutes’ has treated me far worse than ever. If they’re friends, I don’t want to meet the enemies!” This criticism follows a week after he took issue with the network for interviewing Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) after her announcement to resign from Congress.
Trump elaborated on his grievances, precisely, that the new leadership allows content he deems unacceptable. “My issue with the show isn’t just the low IQ traitors like Greene, but the fact that Paramount’s new ownership permits such narratives. They are no better than the previous management, which compensated me millions for what I consider false reporting,” he remarked. Trump asserted that “60 Minutes” has only deteriorated since the acquisition.
After the merger of CBS’s parent company, Paramount, with Skydance Media last August, there were significant leadership changes, with David Ellison taking charge and bringing Bari Weiss on board to oversee CBS News—she’s known for her critique of perceived liberal biases in traditional media.
Trump had previously settled a $16 million lawsuit against CBS related to a “60 Minutes” interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris. In a November interview on the show, he mentioned the new leadership at CBS.
In seemingly contradictory remarks, Trump acknowledged the current CEO as a “great new leader,” even though he admitted he didn’t know her personally. “I’ve heard she’s a great person,” he said, emphasizing that he believes the recent changes will positively impact the network.
Prior to his latest appearance, it had been since 2020 that he was last featured on “60 Minutes.” The tension between him and the network seems, well, palpable, yet there are hints of optimism—if that makes sense. Trump’s responses might leave many pondering what happens next.
