CBS Cuts Trump Interview: What Viewers Didn't See
President Donald Trump participates in signing ceremony and exchange of agreements with Amir of the State of Qatar Sheikh Tamin bin Hamad Al Thani, Wednesday, May 14, 2025, at Amiri Diwan in Doha, Qatar. Official White House photo by Daniel Torok. Public domain.
Donald Trump's fiery outburst about his family's crypto dealings and a $16 million legal settlement with CBS News never made it to the airwaves during his recent "60 Minutes" interview. The network's heavy editing reportedly trimmed down the president's candid moments, leaving viewers with a sanitized version of what was a far more explosive conversation behind the scenes.
The Interview That Wasn't Fully Seen
Trump's sit-down with Norah O'Donnell at his Mar-a-Lago resort was originally a 90-minute conversation. Yet, CBS aired only a 28-minute segment on television, but then released a 43-minute edit and a 73-minute "extended" version online, as reported by PEOPLE. All versions, however, left out some of the most revealing and contentious parts of the discussion, including Trump's reaction to questions about a controversial crypto pardon and his remarks about a multimillion-dollar lawsuit settlement with CBS's parent company, Paramount.
The White House's RapidResponse 47 account on X promoted the 73-minute cut as the "FULL" Trump interview "without the network's edits and cuts," as reported by The Daily Beast. But a comparison with the official transcript published by CBS News shows otherwise. Key exchanges, especially those where Trump appeared to lose his temper over corruption allegations tied to the crypto industry, were missing from all video versions, as reported by PEOPLE.
The Crypto Pardon Controversy
One of the most notable omissions involved Trump's pardon of Changpeng "CZ" Zhao, the billionaire founder of Binance, who was sentenced to four months in prison after pleading guilty to money laundering before being pardoned by Trump in October 2025. Trump's family's crypto venture, World Liberty Financial, reportedly struck a $2 billion deal with Zhao, fueling accusations of alleged pay-for-play corruption, as reported by The Daily Beast.
In the aired interview, Trump claimed he had "no idea" who Zhao was and dismissed the charges as a "Biden witch hunt," as reported by The Daily Beast. Yet, the transcript reveals a more complicated picture. Trump admitted he was told Zhao was "treated really badly by the Biden administration" and acknowledged the potential appearance of impropriety but refused to express concern, as reported by PEOPLE. When pressed by O'Donnell about corruption allegations, Trump became visibly annoyed and said he would rather not answer the question, though he ultimately continued to defend his family's crypto involvement.
The network's voiceover in the broadcast noted concerns that Binance had helped boost the profile of the Trump family's crypto firm, but the full back-and-forth was noticeably absent from the televised and online cuts.
The $16 Million Lawsuit Settlement Left on the Cutting Room Floor
Another striking cut was Trump's candid admission that "60 Minutes paid me a lotta money," referring to a $16 million settlement with CBS over a lawsuit he filed, as reported by PEOPLE. The suit alleged deceptive editing of a 2024 interview with then-vice president Kamala Harris, which Trump claimed was manipulated to favor her presidential campaign.
Trump praised the network's new ownership under the Ellison family and its editor-in-chief Bari Weiss, calling her a "great new leader," as reported by The Guardian. He also criticized the previous editing practices, saying the network was "forced to pay me a lot of money" because they replaced Harris's "election-changing" answer with a new one just before the election.
Despite the significance of these remarks, CBS chose not to include them in the broadcast or the extended online version. Trump himself reportedly suggested cutting this segment, saying he did not want to "embarrass" O'Donnell, but the omission still fuels speculation about selective editing, as reported by The Daily Beast.
A Sanitized Narrative?
The selective trimming of Trump's interview exposes a complex dynamic. CBS, which settled a high-profile lawsuit with Trump, now faces accusations of softening the president's answers on sensitive topics. The network's decision to exclude Trump's so-called "crypto corruption tantrum" and his lawsuit boasts suggests a careful curation of content that avoids airing potentially damaging or controversial material in full.
Trump's frustration with the media's portrayal of him and his family's business dealings is well documented. Yet, the network's edits raise concerns about whether viewers are receiving a complete and unvarnished account of the president's statements. The official transcript, which includes the omitted sections, reveals a more confrontational and revealing Trump than the one presented on screen.
What Viewers Missed
Viewers who only saw the televised or extended online versions missed Trump's pointed defense of his family's crypto business, his dismissive attitude toward corruption allegations, and his rare admission of receiving a substantial payout from "60 Minutes." These moments offer insight into the president's mindset and his approach to media relations, business, and governance.
The omitted segments also reveal Trump's willingness to confront uncomfortable questions with irritation and deflection, a side rarely captured in the polished final cuts. The network's decision to exclude these exchanges leaves a gap in public understanding of the full scope of the interview.
The Fallout
CBS and the White House have not issued detailed public explanations about the editing decisions.
The controversy adds to ongoing debates about media bias, editorial discretion, and the public's right to unfiltered information from elected officials.
For now, the official transcript remains the most complete record of the interview, offering a glimpse into what the network chose to leave on the cutting room floor. Whether this selective editing will affect public trust in "60 Minutes" or influence future presidential interviews remains to be seen.
You can watch the aired and extended versions on CBS's platforms, but for the full picture, the transcript is the only place to find the unedited exchanges.
The story of what was cut from the "60 Minutes" interview is a reminder that in the age of political spectacle and media consolidation, what you don't see can be just as important as what you do.
References: CBS Cuts Donald Trump's Crypto Corruption Tantrum From '60 Minutes' Edit | CBS News Cut Part of Trump's '60 Minutes' Interview About Their Paramount Settlement | CBS News heavily edits Trump 60 Minutes interview, cutting boast network 'paid me a lotta money' | Donald Trump
