In a startling exchange captured on audio, the White House press secretary issued a blunt legal threat to a major US television network over its handling of an exclusive interview with President Donald Trump.
A Blunt Warning from the Press Secretary
Karoline Leavitt, serving as press secretary for Donald Trump, was recorded delivering a stark message to CBS News anchor Tony Dokoupil. The warning came immediately after Dokoupil concluded an interview with the president. According to audio first obtained by the New York Times, Leavitt relayed the president's direct instructions: "Make sure you guys don't cut the tape, make sure the interview is out in full."
When Dokoupil assured her, "Yeah, we're doing it, yeah," Leavitt escalated the tone. She stated, "He said, 'If it's not out in full, we'll sue your ass off.'" The voice of an unidentified woman can then be heard responding, "Oh great, OK," to the press secretary's combative remark.
Background of Tension and a $16m Precedent
This confrontation did not occur in a vacuum. It follows a significant legal settlement between CBS's parent company, Paramount, and Trump himself. Months earlier, Paramount agreed to pay Trump $16m over its editing of an unrelated interview with his 2024 election rival, Kamala Harris, which aired before the race.
Trump had sued, alleging the edits were designed to "confuse, deceive, and mislead the public." CBS maintained it had only edited for time, a standard journalistic practice, but chose to settle the case regardless.
The recent 13-minute exclusive segment, which aired in full on Tuesday, featured Trump making several notable statements. He warned Iran that the US would take "very strong action" if it executed protesters, labelled Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell "lousy," and defended an ICE agent involved in a fatal shooting in Minneapolis on 7 January.
Editorial Independence Under Scrutiny
The incident adds fuel to an ongoing firestorm concerning the editorial leadership at CBS News. The network's editor-in-chief, Bari Weiss, who took the role in October, has faced intense public scrutiny and accusations of favouritism towards the Trump administration.
Weiss's tenure has been marked by controversy, including her decision to pull a scheduled 60 Minutes segment on Venezuelan men deported by the administration, reported by veteran correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi. Weiss cited a lack of response from the White House as her reason.
Further complicating the picture are the network's corporate ties. CBS is now controlled by Paramount Skydance, founded by David Ellison, son of billionaire Oracle founder Larry Ellison—a known friend of Trump. In October, Paramount Skydance also purchased Weiss's own conservative opinion media company, The Free Press.
In a statement released on Saturday, CBS asserted its editorial independence, saying, "The moment we booked this interview, we made the independent decision to air it unedited and in its entirety." The network did indeed broadcast the full, unedited interview later on Tuesday evening.
When contacted for comment by the New York Times, Leavitt stood by her position, stating, "The American people deserve to watch President Trump's full interviews, unedited, no cuts." She concluded pointedly, "And guess what? The interview ran in full."
