Newly appointed CBS Evening News anchor Tony Dokoupil reportedly acquiesced to demands from former President Donald Trump's team under threat of legal action, according to a recent report. The incident, captured on tape, reveals the pressure exerted on the network to broadcast an interview in its entirety without edits.
The Confrontation and the Threat
Following an interview with Trump last week, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt issued a blunt warning to Dokoupil and his producers. A recording obtained by the New York Times reveals Leavitt stating, '(Trump) said, "Make sure you guys don't cut the tape, make sure the interview is out in full."' She then relayed the former president's direct threat: 'If it’s not out in full, we’ll sue your a** off.'
In response, the 45-year-old anchor, who took over the flagship broadcast earlier this year, reportedly laughed and said, 'Yeah, we're doing it, yeah,' adding, 'He always says that!' However, the report claims Leavitt did not laugh and appeared serious. Executive producer Kim Harvey also agreed excitedly to air the full segment.
CBS's Statement and the Interview Content
CBS did broadcast the unedited, 13-minute interview, which was filmed at an assembly line in Michigan. In a statement to the Daily Mail, the network asserted its independence, saying, 'The moment we booked this interview we made the independent decision to air it unedited and in its entirety.' Leavitt defended the pressure, telling the New York Times, 'The American people deserve to watch President Trump’s full interviews, unedited, no cuts. And guess what? The interview ran in full.'
The conversation covered a wide range of topics, including Iran, the economy, and the investigation into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. Trump defended his administration's actions and the federal government's position on the shooting of Renee Nicole Good. A pointed exchange occurred when Trump suggested Dokoupil would lose his job if Kamala Harris won the 2024 election, to which the anchor replied he believed he would keep his role regardless.
A History of Legal Tension and Editorial Shake-ups
This threat is not an isolated event in Trump's relationship with CBS. In 2024, Trump filed a $10 billion lawsuit against the network for airing an edited interview with Vice President Kamala Harris. That case was settled by CBS's parent company, Paramount, for $16 million in July of last year.
The network's landscape has shifted dramatically since. Shortly after the settlement, the Federal Communications Commission approved the purchase of Paramount by MAGA allies Larry and David Ellison. In a controversial move, David Ellison appointed Bari Weiss as editor-in-chief of CBS News in October.
Under Weiss's leadership, the network has seen significant changes, including anchor shakeups and the highly criticised decision to pull a 60 Minutes segment on a terrorism confinement centre in El Salvador. Critics alleged the segment was pulled for being critical of Trump's policies. Furthermore, sources told The Independent that Weiss and Trump shared a kiss on the cheek after a November interview, an act that reportedly shocked other staff in the room.
White House Communications Director Steven Cheung later highlighted the camaraderie by sharing a photo on X of CBS producers laughing with Trump. The incident underscores the ongoing and complex dynamic between the former president and a major news network now under ownership seen as favourable to him.
