White Home press secretary warned CBS of lawsuit if Trump interview was edited

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White Home press secretary Karoline Leavitt warned "CBS Night Information" anchor Tony Dokoupil that his interview this week with President Donald Trump wanted to air in full or the community would have one other lawsuit on its fingers.

The New York Instances obtained audio from the moments that adopted Trump's interview with Dokoupil in Michigan on Tuesday, which included Leavitt warning, on behalf of the president, to not reduce the tape.

"He mentioned, ‘Ensure you guys don’t reduce the tape, make certain the interview is out in full," Leavitt mentioned, in response to the audio.

Dokoupil responded, in response to recording obtained by The Instances, "Yeah, we’re doing it, yeah."

White Home Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt solutions questions throughout a press briefing on the White Home on December 11, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Alex Wong/Getty Photos)

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"He mentioned, ‘If it’s not out in full, we’ll sue your a-- off,'" Leavitt continued, in response to the outlet.

The Instances reported that a few of the CBS staffers current believed the remarks had been meant as a joke.

Dokoupil responded to Leavitt with humor and mentioned, "He at all times says that!"

Kim Harvey, govt producer of "CBS Night Information", was heard saying, "Oh, nice, OK!"

Tony Dokoupil interviews President Donald Trump on January 13, 2026. (Michael Tessier/CBS Information by way of Getty Photos)

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"The second we booked this interview we made the impartial determination to air it unedited and in its entirety," a CBS Information spokesperson mentioned in an announcement in regards to the report. The interview was revealed in full that evening.

The White Home didn't instantly reply to a request for remark. Leavitt instructed the Instances, "The American folks deserve to observe President Trump’s full interviews, unedited, no cuts. And guess what? The interview ran in full."

Trump did efficiently sue CBS Information over a "60 Minutes" interview the community did with former Vice President Kamala Harris forward of the 2024 presidential election. CBS' modifying of the interview and the way it aired the footage throughout two completely different nights was on the middle of the go well with, with Trump claiming it was election interference.

CBS settled the go well with with Trump forward of guardian firm Paramount's merger with Skydance Media final 12 months.

The president teased Dokoupil throughout the interview on Tuesday and recommended he would not have a job if Harris had gained, after the CBS host pressed Trump on why Individuals did not really feel the advantages of the economic system underneath his administration.

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"Tony, we now have the most well liked nation on the planet. And a year-and-a-half in the past, our nation was lifeless. We had a lifeless nation," Trump instructed Dokoupil. "You would not have a job proper now. If [Kamala Harris] received in, you most likely would not have a job proper now."

"Your boss, who's a tremendous man, is perhaps bust, OK?" Trump mentioned. "Let me simply let you know — you would not have this job. You would not have this job — actually regardless of the hell they're paying you. Our nation is rocketing proper now. We've the most well liked nation on the planet. In the event that they received in, we might be Venezuela on steroids."

Trump was referring to David Ellison, the brand new proprietor of CBS guardian firm Paramount and the son of billionaire Trump ally Larry Ellison.

President Donald Trump gestures as he walks from Marine One after arriving on the South Garden of the White Home, Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, in Washington. (Alex Brandon/AP Photograph)

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Dokoupil supplied a rebuke to the president as the 2 wrapped up the interview.

"For the report, I do suppose I would have this job even when the opposite guys gained," Dokoupil instructed Trump. The president then responded, "Yeah — however at a lesser wage."