Former President Donald Trump has demanded that 60 Minutes release the full, unedited footage of the recent interview conducted with Vice President Kamala Harris.
We know they won’t do it, obviously, but surely they can’t think that the general public doesn’t realize just how much editing they did to make Kamala look good…can they?
At a glance:
- Donald Trump’s campaign is demanding that CBS News release the unedited version of Vice President Kamala Harris’ “60 Minutes” interview.
- A discrepancy was discovered where two different versions of Harris’ responses regarding Israel were aired, sparking claims of deceptive editing.
- The Trump campaign believes the edited footage was meant to downplay Harris’ original remarks on U.S. influence over Israel’s war efforts.
Former President Donald Trump’s campaign has issued a call for CBS News to release the full, unedited footage of Vice President Kamala Harris’ “60 Minutes” interview after allegations of deceptive editing surfaced. The interview, which discussed U.S. financial support for Israel in its war against Islamic terrorists, aired two different versions of Harris’ responses—sparking controversy and accusations of media manipulation.
In a promotional clip released on Sunday, CBS aired a segment where Harris said the Biden administration’s work and advocacy had influenced Israel’s actions in the region. However, when the full interview was released on Monday, that particular statement was missing. Instead, Harris’ remarks focused on the U.S. commitment to ending the war in the region, avoiding any specific mention of U.S. influence on Israel’s military decisions.
The Trump campaign quickly pounced on the discrepancy. Trump’s National Press Secretary, Karoline Leavitt, accused CBS of deliberately editing the footage to shield Harris from political fallout, stating, “The American people deserve the full, unedited transcript from Kamala’s sit-down interview. What do they, and Kamala, have to hide?”
The campaign believes the original response aired in the promotional clip would inflame tensions with Islamic communities, particularly in battleground states like Michigan, where Harris is already struggling with diminishing support from Arab American and Muslim voters.
Harris has been navigating a delicate political balance, especially as her administration’s strong support of Israel is at odds with growing discontent among Islamic voters. These communities have become increasingly frustrated with the Biden administration’s stance on Israel, especially as Israel continues its military campaign against Hamas.
While CBS has not yet responded to the Trump campaign’s demands, the controversy underscores the tense political climate leading up to the 2024 election. With early voting already underway, every moment of media exposure can have a significant impact on the race.
For now, the Trump campaign is pressing CBS for transparency, calling for the release of the full, unaltered footage so that voters can see Harris’ complete remarks and make informed decisions.
One former CBS News reporter has said that there’s “precedent” to release the full footage, by the way – but only if it’s Donald Trump.