President Trump reappears on ’60 Minutes’ for the first time since the resolution of a lawsuit against the newsmagazine.

President Donald Trump is making a comeback to “60 Minutes” this weekend, marking his first appearance on the program since resolving a lawsuit last summer with CBS News on the newsmagazine’s interview with Kamala Harris. Trump was interviewed by CBS’s Norah O’Donnell on Friday at Mar-a-Lago for a segment that will be broadcast this Sunday.

The president possesses a tumultuous past with the most prominent television newsmagazine. He has indicated a more amicable relationship with CBS News following the acquisition of its parent company last summer by new Paramount CEO David Ellison, the offspring of affluent benefactor Larry Ellison.

CBS News provided limited information on Friday regarding the formation of the interview and the existence of any established ground rules. O’Donnell, the former host of “CBS Evening News,” is not a regular correspondent for the program.

Trump exited a “60 Minutes” interview with correspondent Lesley Stahl shortly before the 2020 election, alleging unfairness, and his staff disseminated an unedited version of the dialogue.
He declined to participate in a “60 Minutes” interview despite receiving invites during the 2024 election campaign. He asserted that the newsmagazine’s interview with Harris, his Democratic rival, was edited misleadingly to enhance her image.

CBS News categorically refuted any allegations of misconduct; yet, Trump initiated legal proceedings against the organization. This summer, Paramount opted to disburse $16 million to Trump to resolve the dispute, just prior to the Federal Communications Commission’s approval of Paramount’s merger with Ellison’s Skydance Media.

Following the Trump lawsuit, “60 Minutes” executive producer Bill Owens left this past spring, stating that it had become evident he could no longer manage the program autonomously.

Since assuming control at Paramount, Ellison has indicated a closer affiliation with Trump. He appointed Kenneth Weinstein, the former leader of a conservative think organization and a contributor to Trump’s 2024 campaign, to investigate allegations of bias in the network’s reporting.

In October, Paramount acquired the Free Press website and appointed its founder, Bari Weiss, as the editor-in-chief of CBS News. Weiss allegedly facilitated the arrangement of a “60 Minutes” interview for the president’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and assistant Steve Witkoff, which occurred two weeks ago, discussing the peace agreement in Gaza.

On October 12, when returning from the Middle East, Trump informed reporters that “Larry Ellison is exceptional, and his son David is also exceptional.” They are acquaintances of mine. They are strong advocates for me and will act appropriately.