The Real Reason Trump Walked Out Of His Interview With Lesley Stahl
On Oct. 20, 2020, journalist Lesley Stahl of CBS News' 60 Minutes sat down for a solo interview with President Donald Trump. However, according to CNN, Trump spoke with Stahl for only about 45 minutes before he abruptly got up and left the interview. According to the outlet, Trump said that they had enough material to use.
Apparently Trump was supposed to return for additional footage with Vice President Mike Pence, according to the New York Post, for a walk-and-talk interview, but he didn't come back. Trump's interview with Stahl is scheduled to air on Oct. 25, 2020 and it's already trending online as Trump and other members of the White House have spoken about the interview. The president even made threats to leak the interview prior to its scheduled release.
So, why did Trump storm out of the interview? And what's all the fuss about on Twitter? Here's what happened.
Donald Trump talked about leaking the '60 Minutes' interview
President Donald Trump abruptly left his 60 Minutes interview with CBS News' Lesley Stahl on Oct. 20, 2020 at the White House. According to CNN, "Trump walked out of the interview because he was frustrated with Stahl's line of questioning." Another source told CNN that the majority of Stahl's questions were focused on the coronavirus pandemic.
That same day, Trump threatened to leak the interview with Stahl ahead of time, tweeting: "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..."
Trump added in a response to this tweet: "...Everyone should compare this terrible Electoral Intrusion with the recent interviews of Sleepy Joe Biden!" How does Trump have access to the footage? CBS explained what the White House agreed to and why it has access to the interview: "'60 Minutes' said the White House agreed only to record the interview for its archives and said it has a history of interviewing presidential candidates and asking important questions in the run-up to elections."
But this isn't all that Trump tweeted about the interview. Keep reading!
President Trump criticized Lesley Stahl on Twitter
Following Donald Trump's threat to leak footage of his 60 Minutes interview with Lesley Stahl, he tweeted a 6-second video clip of Stahl in the White House without a mask covering her face. Trump captioned the clip, "Lesley Stahl of 60 Minutes not wearing a mask in the White House after her interview with me. Much more to come."
CBS gave an explanation for the footage. "Stahl wore a mask as she entered the White House and greeted the president," the outlet explained. "She removed her mask when socially distanced just before the interview began. The clip Mr. Trump tweeted occurred after the interview and shows Stahl speaking with her producers, all of whom had tested negative for COVID-19 on Tuesday."
It's worth noting that Trump himself has been called out for not wearing masks, as ABC News reported. The news outlet even quoted him at a rally, speaking about Joe Biden and his choice to wear masks. Trump said, "I don't wear masks like [Biden]. Every time you see him, he's got a mask. He could be speaking 200 feet away from it, and he shows up with the biggest mask I've seen."
Several people on Twitter commented on Trump's video of Stahl, calling out this potential hypocrisy. One person tweeted back, "So let me understand. You don't wear a mask = OK? Anyone else doesn't wear a mask = Crime against humanity?" But Trump isn't the only person from the White House to talk about this interview.
A senior advisor to Trump claimed the '60 Minutes' drama is 'very fake news'
Senior advisor to Donald Trump, Jason Miller (pictured), has also been active on Twitter, claiming that negative media buzz around Lesley Stahl's 60 Minutes interview with Trump is "fake news." CNN White House correspondent Kaitlan Collins tweeted, "Apparently there was some drama while President Trump was taping his 60 Minutes interview today. He abruptly ended his solo interview after around 45 minutes & did not return for a scheduled walk & talk he was supposed to tape with Pence, @abdallahcnn and I are told by sources."
Miller responded to Collins' tweet by saying, "Very fake news! No drama, interview was not ended abruptly and we have the receipts from the interview – all of them! Maybe we need to put the whole thing out so people can see for themselves? Lesley's a bad example for mask wearing, Kaitlan – don't follow her lead!!!"
Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Biden, as well as Senator Kamala Harris, were interviewed for 60 Minutes by Norah O'Donnell and their interviews will also air on Oct. 25, 2020, according to CBS, the same day Vice President Mike Pence and Trump's interviews are slated to air.