U.S. President Donald Trump launched a fiery tirade against CBS News and its flagship program “60 Minutes” late Sunday, accusing the network of defamation and political bias after two critical segments aired during the latest broadcast.
Taking to his Truth Social platform, President Trump said “60 Minutes” should ‘pay a big price’ for what he described as a sustained campaign to damage his reputation, citing that the program has “mentioned the name ‘TRUMP’ in a derogatory and defamatory way” nearly every week.
The backlash followed the show’s dual-feature reports — one segment focused on Ukraine, including an interview with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the site of a deadly Russian attack, and another segment from Greenland addressing Trump’s controversial past comments about taking control of the territory.
“Almost every week, 60 Minutes attacks me, but this weekend’s broadcast tops them all,” Trump wrote. “This is not journalism. This is a political operation disguised as news. They must face consequences.”
Trump went further, calling on Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr to issue “maximum fines and punishment” for what he labeled “unlawful and illegal behavior.” Though the FCC has limited authority over cable and subscription-based media content, Carr has reportedly confirmed an ongoing parallel investigation into CBS regarding previous complaints raised by the Trump administration.
CBS has not yet responded publicly to the president’s accusations. However, the broadcaster continues to stand by its editorial decisions. Scott Pelley, the veteran CBS correspondent who reported the Ukraine story, has been known for his pointed interviews with global leaders, including Trump in past years.
In the Ukraine segment aired Sunday night, Zelenskyy expressed fierce condemnation of Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying he holds “100 percent hatred” for the Kremlin leader following recent airstrikes that killed civilians, including children. Zelenskyy also extended an invitation to President Trump to visit Ukraine to witness the destruction firsthand.
The Greenland report, led by Jon Wertheim, featured local perspectives on Trump’s 2019 suggestion that the U.S. should consider acquiring Greenland. According to the piece, the idea continues to stir political and cultural unease in the semi-autonomous Arctic region.
This isn’t the first time President Trump has clashed with CBS. He is currently pursuing a $20 billion defamation lawsuit against “60 Minutes,” alleging that a previous interview with Vice President Kamala Harris was intentionally edited to make her appear favorable to voters during the 2024 campaign season. CBS has rejected the claim and maintains that its editorial practices meet journalistic standards.
Reports indicate that Trump’s legal team and executives from CBS’ parent company are engaged in ongoing settlement discussions, while the FCC has expanded its review of similar complaints involving other networks including ABC, NBC, NPR, and PBS.
As the 2025 presidential election cycle intensifies, the escalating war of words between Trump and mainstream media organizations is expected to continue, with the former president using both legal and political avenues to challenge coverage he views as unfair.