President Donald Trump posted 38 minutes of his interview with Lesley Stahl and ’60 Minutes’ on Thursday, three days before the network planned to air the interview Sunday.
Trump was heavily critical of Stahl immediately after his interview with her Tuesday, with reports saying he abruptly ended the interview roughly 45-minutes in. The footage Trump released runs contrary to those reports, showing Trump cut the interview short by five minutes and only after an aide interrupted. ’60 Minutes’ has not weighed in on whether Trump’s 38-minute video constitutes the entirety of the interview. (RELATED: REPORT: US, Russia ‘On The Verge’ Of Renewing Nuclear Warhead Treaty)
Look at the bias, hatred and rudeness on behalf of 60 Minutes and CBS. Tonight’s anchor, Kristen Welker, is far worse! #MAGA https://t.co/ETDJzMQg8X
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 22, 2020
The end of Trump’s video shows him criticizing Stahl for her line of questioning. An unidentified aide then interrupts.
“Lesley, one second we’re–This is the first warning I think we have five minutes until we have the vice president step in, is that right?”
Trump then responds: “Well, I think we have enough…I think we have enough of an interview here.”
Trump then asks to meet briefly with one of his aides.
Several members of the White House press office also began criticizing Stahl soon after the interview concluded on Tuesday. White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany saying Stahl “came unprepared, and Deputy Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt criticizing her for not wearing a mask.
.@CNN is NOT reporting the truth!
I was in the room.
COVID questions were right off the bat. President @realDonaldTrump continually fact-checked Lesley Stahl, who came unprepared! pic.twitter.com/RBZnO8DoXg
— Kayleigh McEnany (@PressSec) October 21, 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
Reports also said Trump never returned for his scheduled walk-and-talk with Vice President Mike Pence and Stahl.