Leavitt, speaking on behalf of the president, cautioned CBS against editing the segment.
“He said, ‘Make sure you guys don’t cut the tape, make sure the interview is out in full,'” Leavitt said, according to the recording.
Dokoupil replied, “Yeah, we’re doing it, yeah.”
“He said, ‘If it’s not out in full, we’ll sue your a– off,'” Leavitt continued, according to the outlet.
The Times reported that some CBS staffers present believed the remark was made in jest. Dokoupil responded with humor, saying, “He always says that!” Kim Harvey, executive producer of CBS Evening News, was also heard reacting, saying, “Oh, great, OK!”
In a statement following the report, a CBS News spokesperson said, “The moment we booked this interview, we made the independent decision to air it unedited and in its entirety.” The network published the interview in full later that night.
Leavitt told The Times that the administration’s position was straightforward. “The American people deserve to watch President Trump’s full interviews, unedited, no cuts. And guess what? The interview ran in full.”
