Trump Schedules 60 Minutes Interview After Midterm Losses

Trump is scheduled to record an interview for 60 Minutes on November 6, his first in-depth sit-down since Republicans suffered sweeping losses in Tuesday’s midterm elections. The program is expected to air Sunday. The interview had not yet taken place when the plan was confirmed, and the White House schedule listed a November 6, 2026, pre-taping appointment.

Ross Douthat, a onetime New York Times opinion writer who has recently become part of the CBS newsmagazine, is set to conduct the interview. Douthat has often criticized Trump and recently characterized the midterm results as a failure for the New Right.

Trump’s previous appearance on the program was in April, when he spoke with Norah O’Donnell in an interview that became contentious. He declined a traditional 60 Minutes interview before the 2024 election, while his opponent, Kamala Harris, participated. Trump later sued CBS, alleging deceptive editing; the company’s owners settled the case for $16 million.

The program has since undergone major changes. CBS News chief Bari Weiss replaced senior producers and correspondents last spring and brought in Nick Bilton as executive producer, alongside new contributors including Douthat. Weiss also put aside a report scrutinizing the Trump administration’s deportation of migrants to a prison in El Salvador, prompting concern among some producers about pursuing politically sensitive stories.

The upcoming interview puts Trump back on a program he has criticized publicly and previously confronted on air. It is also a prominent platform for his first extended post-election interview.

Trump Returns to 60 Minutes as CBS Faces Questions About Independence

The aftermath of a major Republican midterm setback will bring Donald Trump to 60 Minutes for his first in-depth interview since the election — on a program whose independence has been shaken by recent changes at CBS. Trump is scheduled to tape the interview on November 6 with correspondent Ross Douthat; it is expected to air Sunday.

Douthat, a right-leaning onetime New York Times opinion writer who has criticized Trump, recently described the midterm results as a failure for the New Right. The interview is a high-profile opportunity to question the president after the losses, though Trump’s previous encounters with the show have been combative.

CBS News chief Bari Weiss replaced senior 60 Minutes producers and correspondents last spring and installed Nick Bilton as executive producer. Weiss also set aside a report examining the administration’s deportation of migrants to a prison in El Salvador. Some producers have questioned whether the show’s leaders will support them if politically sensitive reporting draws pushback from the administration.

The stakes are sharpened by Trump’s past dispute with CBS. After declining a 2024 pre-election interview, he sued the network over its interview with Kamala Harris, claiming deceptive editing. CBS’s owners settled for $16 million. Now Trump returns to the program amid concerns that changes at the top could constrain the journalism viewers expect from it.

Douthat Gets Trump Interview After GOP Midterm Setback

Donald Trump’s first extended interview since the midterms will be with Ross Douthat, a conservative commentator who has criticized the president and called the election losses a failure for the New Right. The interview is scheduled to be taped November 6 for Sunday’s 60 Minutes, giving Trump a prominent platform to address the results.

Douthat, a former New York Times opinion writer who has lately joined the show, is no Trump loyalist. The choice of interviewer matters: viewers will see the president questioned by someone who has openly criticized his political movement, not simply given an easy setting to discuss the election.

Trump has had a rocky history with 60 Minutes. His April interview with Norah O’Donnell grew contentious, and in 2024 he declined a traditional pre-election sit-down. He later sued CBS over its interview with Kamala Harris, alleging deceptive editing. CBS’s owners settled the case for $16 million.

The program has also been reshaped under CBS News chief Bari Weiss, who replaced senior producers and correspondents and appointed Nick Bilton executive producer. Weiss set aside a report scrutinizing the administration’s deportation of migrants to a prison in El Salvador, a decision that fueled internal concern about coverage of politically sensitive issues. The upcoming interview will test whether 60 Minutes can question Trump directly amid those tensions.