Former President Donald Trump has backed out of a previously scheduled interview with “60 Minutes,” the most-watched newsmagazine in the United States, CBS News said Tuesday evening.
CBS disclosed Trump’s change of plans a few hours before the network hosts a vice-presidential debate between Trump’s running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, and Kamala Harris’s running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.
“For over half a century, 60 Minutes has invited the Democratic and Republican tickets to appear on our broadcast as Americans head to the polls,” the network said in a statement. “This year, both the Harris and Trump campaigns agreed to sit down with 60 Minutes.”
Trump had committed to the interview first, followed by Harris, through campaign spokespeople, CBS said. Veteran CBS anchor and correspondent Scott Pelley was lined up to interview Trump.
“After initially accepting 60 Minutes’ request for an interview with Scott Pelley, former President Trump’s campaign has decided not to participate,” CBS said.
The network was notified earlier Tuesday, throwing a wrench into its programming plans, since the Harris and Trump interviews were supposed to air on a special Monday night edition of “60 Minutes” next week.
With no additional debates scheduled between Trump and Harris, the traditional “60 Minutes” sit-down was one of the final times before the November election for voters to see both candidates on a major television program.
CBS said the primetime special will still go forward with an interview with Harris. Correspondent Bill Whitaker is slated to follow Harris on the campaign trail and interview her later this week.
“Our original invitation to former President Donald Trump to be interviewed on 60 Minutes stands,” the network said.
In a statement, the Trump campaign denied it had agreed to the interview.
“Fake News. 60 Minutes begged for an interview, even after they were caught lying about Hunter Biden’s laptop back in 2020. There were initial discussions, but nothing was ever scheduled or locked in,” Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung said.
“They insisted on cutting out of the interview to do fact-checking,” he added.
Contrary to the Trump camp’s assertion that no interview was scheduled, two sources with knowledge of the matter said Pelley was slated to sit down with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago club on Thursday and attend Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on Saturday.
Asked by CNN if there was still a chance Trump might sit for the interview, Cheung said, “Now that they’ve lied about the interaction, they just f**ked themselves.”
The Harris campaign immediately slammed Trump over the decision.
“Afraid of the debate stage. Afraid of 60 minutes. And his campaign team - after the last three days of increasingly unhinged and unstable ranting at his rallies - is clearly afraid of exposing him beyond comfortable confines,” said Harris senior adviser David Plouffe.
In October 2020, Trump sat down with “60 Minutes” correspondent Lesley Stahl and abruptly ended the interview when he apparently objected to Stahl’s questions.
The CBS newsmagazine is typically a much-sought-after destination for presidential candidates due to its large viewership.
CNN’s Alayna Treene contributed reporting.
