President Donald Trump reportedly cut off a ’60 Minutes’ interview with reporter Lesley Stahl at the White House on Tuesday, going on to threaten to publish the interview himself prior to airtime.
Stahl’s interview with the president is scheduled to release Sunday. Trump reportedly left the interview after 45 minutes and never returned for a post-interview walk-and-talk with Stahl and Vice President Mike Pence. Neither the White House nor Stahl have offered any details as to what topics or questions led to the cut off, though Trump called it a “fake and biased interview.”
I am pleased to inform you that, for the sake of accuracy in reporting, I am considering posting my interview with Lesley Stahl of 60 Minutes, PRIOR TO AIRTIME! This will be done so that everybody can get a glimpse of what a FAKE and BIASED interview is all about…
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 20, 2020
…Everyone should compare this terrible Electoral Intrusion with the recent interviews of Sleepy Joe Biden!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 20, 2020
Trump and several members of the White House press office began tweeting anecdotes critical of Stahl shortly after the interview concluded. Trump criticized her for not wearing a mask after the interview, with White House Deputy Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt adding that Stahl had criticized her for not wearing a mask earlier that day. (RELATED: REPORT: US, Russia ‘On The Verge’ Of Renewing Nuclear Warhead Treaty)
Lesley Stahl of 60 Minutes not wearing a mask in the White House after her interview with me. Much more to come. pic.twitter.com/0plZG6a4fH
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 20, 2020
This is moments after she criticized me for not wearing a mask while working at my desk
Rules for thee but not for me, Lesley? https://t.co/jOkiCEZSJT
— Karoline Leavitt (@KLeavitt45) October 20, 2020
This is not the first time Trump has had a contentious interview with Stahl. He previously interviewed with her for ’60 Minutes’ in 2018 in a wide ranging conversation featuring testy back-and-forth moments.
Stahl and 60 Minutes have yet to respond to Trump’s threat to publish the interview.