Hours after news broke on Tuesday that President Donald Trump stormed out of a 60 Minutes interview with veteran journalist Leslie Stahl, Trump erupted at Stahl in a string of tweets.
The President posted a six second video of Stahl speaking to producers without a mask immediately after the interview. He then threatened to post the White House's footage of the interview before it was set to air on CBS this Sunday.
On Thursday, Trump acted on that threat, posting the interview with a caption admonishing what he called Stahl's "bias, hatred and rudeness."
In the same post, he once again attacked NBC journalist Kristen Welker, the moderator of the final presidential debate Thursday night.
Trump signaled that posting the White House's footage would unfetter him from the so-called partisan bias he's railed against for years. He highlighted that Stahl began the interview asking if he was ready for some tough questions, at which Trump balked.
Watch below.
LESLEY STAHL: "You're okay with some tough questions?"
TRUMP: "No, I'm not."
STAHL: "You're not okay with tough questions?"
Trump thinks this looks *good* for him!!! pic.twitter.com/fhfPUnpFwn
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 22, 2020
Trump urged Stahl to "be fair," prompting her to reassure him she would.
Trump attempted to defend the size of his rallies against the pandemic that's killed over 200 thousand Americans.
Grilled by Stahl about the irresponsibility of holding huge rallies that make a mockery of public health precautions during a pandemic, Trump has no defense other than insulting her and lying pic.twitter.com/UowM4rRrjE
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 22, 2020
During the interview the President said he hoped that the Supreme Court would "end" the Affordable Care Act, which insured millions of Americans with its passage.
Make sure every single person you know sees this:
"I hope that they end it."
This is President Trump on 60 Minutes telling Judge Amy Coney Barrett and the Supreme Court to rip away health care from millions.
Democrats will not stop fighting. pic.twitter.com/yHDjjZUUCD
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) October 22, 2020
He then, once again, claimed that the replacement plan he's long sworn exists will be released "soon."
"It's going to be announced very soon" -- Trump is still out here touting his fake health care plan that he said would be announced in 2 weeks 3 months ago. Completely beyond parody. pic.twitter.com/UJuVbVTjcm
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 22, 2020
The footage released by Trump also showed the moment he walked out, in which he once again accused Stahl of bias for asking if he was ready for "tough questions."
Trump's 60 Minutes interview with Lesley Stahl ended with him whining about her asking him tough questions and storming out in a huff pic.twitter.com/zuiwYpKnFb
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 22, 2020
Trump said:
"You brought up a lot of subjects that were inappropriately brought up. They were inappropriately brought up right from the beginning. Your first question was, 'this is gonna be tough questions.' ... When you set up the interview, you didn't say that."
Trump then attempted to accuse her of hypocrisy, claiming that he saw her interview with Joe Biden.
Stahl pointed out that she'd never interviewed Joe Biden.
People were amazed that Trump thought posting this interview to his Twitter account was a good idea.
So he... posted video that made him look terrible and he thinks it's a win?
— roxane gay (@rgay) October 22, 2020
Trump just posted video from the interview he cut off.
Randomly skipped to the 12-min mark.
First bit I saw was Trump getting mad at Stahl for pointing out his rallies aren't as big as they used to be.
How he thought this helped him is beyond me. pic.twitter.com/deTY4fjNOD
— The Hoarse Whisperer (@TheRealHoarse) October 22, 2020
Honestly, Trump's behavior in that interview is disgraceful.
Whoever told him it was a good idea to put this out, or didn't stop him, is either interested in seeing him lose or is so deep in the cult they can't see the forest for the trees.
He's abusive, insane and not well.
— Elizabeth C. McLaughlin 🩸🦷 (@ECMcLaughlin) October 22, 2020
Mr. Trump is so disoriented, so detached from reality, in such a worrisome psychological state that he convinced himself -- if no one else -- the releasing the "60 Minutes" interview, in which he comes across as delicate, as fragile, as a snowflake, makes him look good.
— Peter Wehner (@Peter_Wehner) October 22, 2020
Imagine releasing the “60 Minutes" interview, believing it makes you look good. Trump is untethered from reality.
— Amy Siskind (@Amy_Siskind) October 22, 2020
Wait, Trump thinks that 60 Minutes interview makes him look good?
— Angry Staffer (@AngrierWHStaff) October 22, 2020
Some defended Lesley Stahl.
The thing about this interview is that Trump is just saying nonsense and Stahl is pointing out calmly that it is nonsense.
She is no more combative than, say, @jonathanvswan, whom Trump said did a good interview.
— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) October 22, 2020
I don't see bias, hatred or rudeness from Lesley Stahl, I see a dogged & polite journalist trying to get answers about the pandemic, unemployment, and other issues and a president determined to deny reality. (Ex: No respected health official thinks we're “turning the corner.") https://t.co/xoKhhfsIAW
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) October 22, 2020
President Trump: They spied on my campaign,..
Lesley Stahl: Well, there's no-- real evidence of that.
DT: They spied on my campaign and they got caught--
LS: No...this is 60 Minutes. And we can't put on things we can't verify.
Holding Presidents accountable since Watergate. pic.twitter.com/Vv8M1CJC8A
— Vladimir Duthiers (@vladduthiersCBS) October 22, 2020
CBS said of the President's decision to post the footage:
"The White House's unprecedented decision to disregard their agreement with CBS News and release their footage will not deter 60 MINUTES from providing its full, fair and contextual reporting which presidents have participated in for decades. 60 MINUTES, the most-watched news program on television, is widely respected for bringing its hallmark fairness, deep reporting and informative context to viewers each week.
Few journalists have the presidential interview experience Lesley Stahl has delivered over her decades as one of the premier correspondents in America and we look forward to audiences seeing her third interview with President Trump and subsequent interview with Vice President Pence this weekend."
Trump's demeanor is expected to be similarly combative during the final debate, tonight at 9pm Eastern time.
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