Trump to CBS News’ Tony Dokoupil: I’m the reason – Business News
President Trump bluntly advised Tony Dokoupil of “CBS Evening News” he owes his new job — and his paycheck — to Trump’s 2024 election victory, making the assertion straight to the information anchor’s face during a reside interview.
The remarks got here during an unique sit-down Tuesday at a Ford plant in Detroit, the place the president linked Dokoupil’s latest promotion to the Trump-era approval of the Paramount-Skydance merger and appeared to take a dismissive tone about the anchor’s compensation.
Asked about the total financial system, Trump took a extremely personal method with Dokoupil, whose hiccups since taking the anchor gig have generated a regular stream of headlines.
President Trump touted his handling of the financial system during an interview with “CBS Evening News” on Tuesday. CBS Evening News
Trump bluntly advised new “CBS Evening News” anchor Tony Dokoupil that he owes his job — and his paycheck — to Kamala Harris dropping the 2024 election. CBS News
The Republican president stated the anchor “wouldn’t have a job right now” if Democrat Kamala Harris had received the 2024 election.
“Tony, we have now the hottest country in the world, and a year and a half ago, our country was dead. We had a dead country. You wouldn’t have a job right now. If she got in, you probably wouldn’t have a job right now,” Trump riffed.
He then appeared to allude to Paramount-Skydance CEO David Ellison, who acquired CBS News in a merger that the Trump administration accredited final summer time.
“Your boss, who’s an amazing guy, might be bust, okay?” Trump asserted.
“Might be what?” the anchor requested.
“Tony, we have now the hottest country in the world, and a year and a half ago, our country was dead,” Trump advised Dokoupil. CBS Evening News
“Might be bust,” the president stated. “I doubt it in his case, but you never know. Let me just tell you, you wouldn’t have this job, you wouldn’t have this job — certainly whatever the hell they’re paying you.”
Dokoupil sought to push back later in the interview — just for the president to needle him one more time over his wage.
“For the record, I do think I’d have this job if the other guys won,” the anchor stated — to which Trump shortly shot back, “Yeah, but at a lesser salary.”
The Post has sought remark from CBS News and Paramount Skydance.
In late 2024, Trump filed a $10 billion lawsuit in opposition to CBS over a “60 Minutes” interview with then-Vice President Harris, accusing the community of deceptively modifying the phase to intrude in the election.
Paramount Global, CBS’s mum or dad company at the time, initially vowed to struggle the swimsuit however reversed course after the election, settling the case in July for $16 million.
The payout drew sharp criticism inside the newsroom and sparked resignations from CBS News president and CEO Wendy McMahon and “60 Minutes” government producer Bill Owens.
Weeks later, the Federal Communications Commission accredited the long-pending merger between Paramount and Skydance Media, a deal valued at roughly $8 billion that positioned control of CBS and its information division in Ellison’s fingers.
Dokoupil, the former “CBS Mornings” co-host, was elevated to the “CBS Evening News” anchor chair by not too long ago put in editor in chief Bari Weiss. Getty Images for The Free Press
Trump defeated then-Vice President Kamala Harris and her operating mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, in November 2024. Getty Images
He shortly moved to reshape the community’s management, appointing Bari Weiss to the newly created function of editor in chief of CBS News in October, signaling a main shift in editorial direction and ruffling feathers amongst the rank and file.
Weiss quickly asserted hands-on control, intervening in protection choices and launching a broad overhaul of the community’s flagship broadcasts, together with “CBS Evening News,” which had struggled in phrases of rankings beneath its earlier co-anchor format.
In December, Weiss elevated Dokoupil — a “CBS Mornings” co-host since 2019 — to the night anchor chair, a promotion that put him at the middle of the community’s transformation.
