'We'll Sue': White House's Warning to CBS Is Sign of a New Media Status Quo [View all]
Last edited Sat Jan 17, 2026, 07:49 PM - Edit history (2)
Source: New York Times
media memo
'We'll Sue': White House's Warning to CBS Is Sign of a New Media Status Quo
In previously unreported remarks, the White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told CBS News that Mr. Trump would "sue" the news outlet if it did not air an interview unedited
Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, at a briefing at the White House on Thursday. Kenny Holston/The New York Times
By Michael M. Grynbaum and Benjamin Mullin
Jan. 17, 2026, 3:51 p.m. ET
It was an aside, caught on camera, that said a lot about the uneasy business of conducting journalism today. ... Moments after President Trump finished taping a 13-minute interview on Tuesday with the "CBS Evening News" anchor Tony Dokoupil in Michigan, Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, approached Mr. Dokoupil and his colleagues to convey a message from the president.
"He said, 'Make sure you guys don't cut the tape, make sure the interview is out in full," Ms. Leavitt said in an even tone, according to a recording of the exchange obtained by The New York Times. ... "Yeah, we're doing it, yeah," Mr. Dokoupil responded. ...Ms. Leavitt replied: "He said, 'If it's not out in full, we'll sue your ass off.'"
Karoline Leavitt Exchange With CBS News
Listen 29 seconds
{snip}
When Mr. Dokoupil’s interview with the president aired in full that night on the “CBS Evening News,” it included questions about grocery prices, Iran, the immigration crackdown in Minnesota and other topics. It concluded with Mr. Trump mocking the anchor, who started his new CBS job this month. ... Boasting about his economic policies, the president told Mr. Dokoupil that the anchor “wouldn’t have a job right now” if Kamala Harris had won the 2024 election.
At the interview's end, Mr. Dokoupil circled back to the subject. "For the record," he told Mr. Trump, "I do think I'd have this job even if the other guys won." ... "Yeah," Mr. Trump replied. "But at a lesser salary."
Michael M. Grynbaum writes about the intersection of media, politics and culture. He has been a media correspondent at The Times since 2016.
https://www.nytimes.com/by/michael-m-grynbaum
Benjamin Mullin reports for The Times on the major companies behind news and entertainment. Contact him securely on Signal at +1 530-961-3223 or at benjamin.mullin@nytimes.com.
https://www.nytimes.com/by/benjamin-mullin
Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/17/business/media/cbs-news-trump-interview.html
That honeymoon didn't last long.
----------
Reposted by Mike Masnick
https://bsky.app/profile/mmasnick.bsky.social
The fact that CBS didn’t report this incident tells you everything.
— Casey Seiler (@caseyseiler.bsky.social) 2026-01-17T21:33:39.222Z
********
Casey Seiler
@caseyseiler.bsky.social
The fact that CBS didn't report this incident tells you everything.
Jon Passantino
@passantino.bsky.social
· 3h
NYT publishes audio of Karoline Leavitt threatening CBS over its Trump interview: "He said, 'If it's not out in full, we'll sue your ass off.'" www.nytimes.com/2026/01/17/b...
'We'll Sue': White House's Warning to CBS Is Sign of a New Media Status Quo
www.nytimes.com
4:33 PM · Jan 17, 2026
********
NYT publishes audio of Karoline Leavitt threatening CBS over its Trump interview: “He said, ‘If it’s not out in full, we’ll sue your ass off.’†www.nytimes.com/2026/01/17/b...
— Jon Passantino (@passantino.bsky.social) 2026-01-17T21:01:40.207Z
********
Jon Passantino
@passantino.bsky.social
NYT publishes audio of Karoline Leavitt threatening CBS over its Trump interview: "He said, 'If it's not out in full, we'll sue your ass off.'" www.nytimes.com/2026/01/17/b...
'We'll Sue': White House's Warning to CBS Is Sign of a New Media Status Quo
www.nytimes.com
4:01 PM · Jan 17, 2026
********
“Oh, great, OK!†Kim Harvey, the “CBS Evening News†executive producer, replied — and Mr. Dokoupil quickly turned to humor. “He always says that!â€
— Jon Passantino (@passantino.bsky.social) 2026-01-17T21:11:24.155Z
Ms. Leavitt did not laugh.
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/17/b...
********
Jon Passantino
@passantino.bsky.social
"Oh, great, OK!" Kim Harvey, the "CBS Evening News" executive producer, replied -- and Mr. Dokoupil quickly turned to humor. "He always says that!"
Ms. Leavitt did not laugh.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/17/business/media/cbs-news-trump-interview.html
'We'll Sue': White House's Warning to CBS Is Sign of a New Media Status Quo
www.nytimes.com
4:11 PM · Jan 17, 2026
********
= new reply since forum marked as read