Former President Donald Trump pulled out of a 60 Minutes interview slated to air next week, CBS News announced on Tuesday, hours before it is set to hold the vice presidential debate.
A CBS spokesperson said that the Harris and Trump campaigns both agreed to interviews for a 60 Minutes election special to air next Monday, Oct. 7 at 8 p.m.
Harris was set to sit down with correspondent Bill Whitaker, and Trump was set for an interview with Scott Pelley. The Trump campaign, however, pulled out of the show, which the network said Pelley would address on Monday.
“Our original invitation to former President Donald Trump to be interviewed on 60 Minutes stands,” the spokesperson said.
A source familiar with the talks between CBS and the campaigns said Trump was first to accept the request to participate in the election special through a campaign spokesperson. The agreement was that each campaign would receive equal time: half the episode.
After accepting, however, a campaign spokesperson told 60 Minutes Trump would not be participating.
Four years ago, both Trump and President Joe Biden sat for 60 Minutes interviews that aired in a similar election special ahead of the 2020 vote. Trump’s sit down with Lesley Stahl was tense, and ended early when he abruptly walked off the set in a huff. The episode was a ratings success for CBS, drawing a whopping 17 million viewers.
Harris’s running mate Tim Walz is also expected to appear for an interview on 60 Minutes next week.
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