Democrats Want FCC Probe of ’60 Minutes’ Trimming Trump Interview/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Democrats are urging an FCC probe after CBS’ “60 Minutes” omitted a controversial exchange from its extended interview with President Trump, involving his pardon of Binance founder Changpeng Zhao. The uncut transcript reveals Trump’s uncomfortable response to a question about corruption. Critics cite potential “news distortion,” while CBS and FCC officials clash publicly.
FCC Scrutiny Over Trump-Binance Interview Quick Looks
- CBS cut a key exchange from Trump’s “60 Minutes” extended interview.
- The cut portion involved questions about his Binance pardon and corruption concerns.
- Trump gave a vague and stammering response that was omitted from video.
- Democrats are calling on the FCC to investigate the editorial decision.
- FCC Chair under Trump previously warned broadcasters about “news distortion.”
- Trump settled a previous lawsuit with CBS’ parent company, Paramount Global.
- Critics argue the omissions fit Trump’s pattern of media manipulation.
- CBS has yet to comment on why specific segments were excluded.
- Trump allies downplayed omissions, calling the interview a “powerhouse.”
- Paramount has recently made moves perceived as favoring right-leaning outlets.
Democrats Demand FCC Investigation Over Omitted Trump Interview Segment: A Deep Look
A political firestorm has erupted after CBS News’ “60 Minutes” failed to include a crucial exchange in its extended online version of a recent interview with President Donald Trump. The omitted segment involved Trump’s response to questions about pardoning Binance founder Changpeng Zhao — and Democrats are now calling on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to launch an official investigation.
The interview, which aired Sunday, ran approximately 28 minutes on television. CBS later uploaded an extended 73-minute version online. However, media observers quickly noted that some moments — also found in the full transcript published on CBS’ website — were absent from both aired and extended footage.
At the center of the controversy is a pointed exchange between interviewer Norah O’Donnell and Trump regarding whether he was concerned about the appearance of corruption tied to his pardon of Zhao. Trump initially deflected, claiming he didn’t know Zhao, but when O’Donnell pressed him, the former president appeared to stumble.
“So not concerned about the appearance of corruption with this?” O’Donnell asked. Trump’s uncut reply, which was omitted from the video, included: “I can’t say, because — I can’t say — I’m not concerned. I don’t — I’d rather not have you ask the question.”
He continued, “But I let you ask it. You just came to me and you said, ‘Can I ask another question?’ And I said, yeah. This is the question.” The full transcript shows O’Donnell affirming, “And you answered,” to which Trump replied, “I don’t mind. Did I let you do it? I coulda walked away. I didn’t have to answer this question. I’m proud to answer the question.”
Trump wrapped the exchange with a boast: “We are number one in crypto and that’s the only thing I care about. I don’t want China or anybody else to take it away. It’s a massive industry.”
The omission of this exchange has sparked accusations of political editing, especially in light of Trump’s prior legal battle with CBS’ parent company, Paramount Global. That case involved his claim that an edited interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris was misleading. It ended in a $16 million settlement and paved the way for Paramount’s eventual merger with Skydance Media — a company seen as leaning more conservative in recent decisions.
FCC scrutiny has intensified following a public post from Jonathan Uriarte, spokesperson for the sole Democratic FCC commissioner, suggesting the edit might meet the Trump-era definition of “news distortion” — a charge the previous FCC leadership often wielded against broadcasters.
“Under the standard set by the Trump FCC, this could qualify as news distortion and deserves an investigation,” Uriarte wrote.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer echoed that sentiment, sarcastically posting, “Maybe I should file a complaint with the FCC against the Trump White House for editing his unhinged 60 Minutes interview.”
In response, Trump-appointed FCC Chair Brendan Carr quipped that “due to the Schumer Shutdown, even your frivolous filing could not be processed by the FCC.”
CBS News has not publicly explained the rationale behind the editorial decisions or addressed why key parts from the transcript were excluded from the extended video version.
White House Communications Director Steven Cheung defended the interview, stating, “Trump gave a powerhouse interview for over an hour that covered a wide range of topics, including the historic 10 months America has had under his leadership.”
This controversy comes amid mounting scrutiny of CBS and its editorial direction. Paramount’s merger with Skydance has led to several moves seen as aligning with conservative media sensibilities, including the acquisition of The Free Press, founded by Bari Weiss. Weiss now serves as CBS News’ editor-in-chief, and her appointment is seen as a signal of shifting editorial priorities.
In a past statement, Paramount emphasized that future “60 Minutes” interviews with presidential candidates would be accompanied by full transcripts — but added that redactions could occur for legal or national security reasons. The company made clear that its prior settlement with Trump did not include any admission of wrongdoing or apology.
For now, calls for transparency and accountability are growing, particularly from Democrats who argue that the editing choices in Trump’s interview suggest favoritism and manipulation. Whether the FCC will launch a formal inquiry remains to be seen.
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