Donald Trump speaks during a campaign event on Tuesday.
Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images
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Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images
This story first appeared in the NPR Network’s live blog of the 2024 vice presidential debate between JD Vance and Tim Walz. For the latest on the campaign, head to NPR’s Elections page.
The CBS news program 60 Minutes announced on Tuesday that former President Donald Trump has backed out of an interview he had agreed to do as part of its prime-time election special next week.
“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 newsmagazine posted on X. “This year, both the Harris and Trump campaigns agreed to sit down with 60 Minutes.”
It went on to say that “after initially accepting 60 Minutes‘ request for an interview” with Scott Pelley, Trump’s campaign “has decided not to participate.”
The election special will air Monday at 8 p.m. ET as planned, and include Vice President Harris’ interview with correspondent Bill Whitaker.
“Our original invitation to former President Donald Trump to be interviewed on 60 Minutes stands,” the statement added.
Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung responded shortly after on X, calling the program’s version of events “fake news.”
He said the show “begged for an interview,” and despite initial discussions, “nothing was ever scheduled or locked in.”
“They also insisted on doing live fact checking, which is unprecedented,” Cheung added.
Trump has run into trouble with 60 Minutes before, notably cutting short a 2020 interview with correspondent Lesley Stahl — and backing out of a second that had been previously scheduled — after becoming visibly frustrated with her “tough” line of questioning about the COVID-19 pandemic and other topics.
The Harris campaign was quick to criticize Trump on Tuesday night. Senior adviser David Plouffe posted on X that the former president is “afraid” of the debate stage and 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,” he wrote.
He appeared to be referencing Trump’s increasingly threatening and insulting rhetoric at rallies over the weekend, in which he described Harris as “mentally impaired” and said police should be allowed to be “real rough” on criminals for one hour to send a message.
The prime-time special would have been one of voters’ final chances to see Trump and Harris side-by-side before Election Day. While the Harris campaign has called for a second debate, Trump’s team has not agreed to one.
Tuesday night’s debate between vice presidential candidates Tim Walz and JD Vance is the last one on the schedule.