Trump faces Douthat on '60 Minutes' following Republican midterm defeat
The President discussed the new Congress and the economy in an interview taped Friday morning in the Oval Office.
By Diego Mendoza ·
President Donald Trump will appear on CBS's '60 Minutes' this Sunday.
The broadcast marks his first detailed sit-down since the Republican Party suffered major losses in the midterm elections. CBS taped the session on Friday morning.
Ross Douthat conducted the interview. The former New York Times columnist joined the program as a correspondent recently. Douthat, a conservative who has criticized Trump in the past, previously interviewed Vice President JD Vance for a Times podcast. In a column published earlier this week, Douthat characterized the midterm results as a failure for the New Right.
CBS shared a photograph of the two men speaking in the Oval Office on Friday afternoon. The network stated that Douthat questioned Trump regarding the midterms, the composition of the new Congress, and his remaining time in office. The conversation also covered the war in Iran and the current economic conditions.
Bari Weiss, the editor-in-chief of CBS News, and Nick Bilton, the executive producer of '60 Minutes,' accompanied Douthat to the White House. Bilton, a tech journalist and filmmaker, took over as executive producer last spring after Weiss forced out the show's top producers and several correspondents.
Trump has a contentious relationship with the newsmagazine. He last appeared on the program in April, following the shooting at the White House Correspondents' Dinner. During that interview with Norah O'Donnell, Trump called her a disgrace and said, You're horrible people. He also sued CBS in 2024 after Kamala Harris appeared on the show while he declined. The lawsuit, which legal experts called frivolous, ended with a $16 million settlement to Trump.
The program remains a high-profile platform. Last Sunday's episode drew an average of 10 million viewers, aided by an NFL game lead-in. Trump has previously posted critiques of the show on Truth Social, demonstrating his awareness of its reach. Skydance owns both CBS News and CNN, though the two outlets operate separately.
