Former President Donald Trump is contemplating legal action against CBS, a unit of Paramount Global (NASDAQ:PARA) (NASDAQ:PARAA) alleging deceptive editing of a "60 Minutes" interview with Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris.
What Happened: During a conversation with podcast host Dan Bongino, Trump accused CBS of broadcasting a condensed version of Harris's discussion with journalist Bill Whitaker.
Trump believes the interview was manipulated to present Vice President Harris positively.
He called for the release of the uncut tapes of the interview, saying, "I think I'm going to sue them actually. I think so. No, you know what, they can't defend it, and if they do, and even if they win, it's going to be very embarrassing."
CBS initially aired a truncated version of Harris's answer to a question about the Gaza war but later posted the full transcript of her comments online, according to The Hill.
Previously, the former President also took to Truth Social and called for the release of the tapes.
Why It Matters: Earlier this month, Trump pulled out of a "60 Minutes" interview after initially agreeing to the pre-election special, as per CBS.
Despite Trump's withdrawal, CBS News confirmed that the election special would proceed as planned, featuring the interview with Harris. At the time, the network also reiterated its standing invitation to Trump for an interview.
Meanwhile, Harris has been ramping up her own criticisms of Trump's physical and mental health, saying that he seems fatigued on the campaign trail. Following the release of her own medical report, she urged Trump to follow suit and make his medical records public.
A tight contest between Trump and Harris is anticipated in the polls for the 2024 presidential election. Betting prediction markets have been showing wide swings on the leading candidate.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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