Full Breakdown
Trump Confronts CBS Over Manifesto Reading on “60 Minutes”
4/27/2026, 3:57:27 AM
Confrontation on “60 Minutes”
President Donald Trump rebuked CBS News correspondent Norah O’Donnell on a Sunday night interview after she read alleged excerpts from the manifesto of the White House Correspondents’ Dinner (WHCD) shooting suspect, 31-year-old Cole Allen of Torrance, California. Trump called O’Donnell “disgraceful,” accused the network of “reading that on ‘60 Minutes’,” and denied that the gunman’s words referred to him.
Background
Cole Allen was identified by authorities as the WHCD shooter. He allegedly drafted a manifesto containing anti-Trump and anti-Christian rhetoric and posted portions on social media before the attack. The document’s authenticity has not been independently verified.
Official Statements & Responses
Trump framed the interview as a test of the press, stating he “was waiting for you to read that because I knew you would because you’re horrible people.” He defended his crime-fighting record, criticized “the press plus the Democrats,” and praised the WHCD’s unity as “beautiful.” He also referenced a $16 million settlement with CBS/Paramount, describing it as compensation for an edited interview with former Vice President Kamala Harris. He also praised the network’s new editor-in-chief, Bari Weiss. O’Donnell, after reading the alleged manifesto excerpts that mentioned a “rapist” and a “pedophile,” asked, “Do you think he was referring to you?” She interrupted to stress she was quoting the suspect’s words. Fox News Digital sought comment from the White House but received none.
Criticism & Opposition
O’Donnell’s challenge to Trump’s reaction and her insistence that she was merely quoting the suspect constituted direct opposition to his labeling of the network as “disgraceful.” Her line of questioning underscored the tension between the president’s demand to suppress extremist content and the media’s role in reporting it.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
The manifesto’s content is described as “alleged” with no independent verification. No official White House comment has been provided regarding the interview or the settlement. Details of the settlement beyond the reported $16 million figure are not disclosed.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Well, I was waiting for you to read that because I knew you would because you're horrible people,” — Donald Trump, President
- “You shouldn't be reading that on '60 Minutes.' You're a disgrace. But go ahead. Let's finish the interview,” — Donald Trump, President
- “Look, for whatever reason, we disagree on a lot of subjects. We talk about crime. I'm very strong on crime. It seems like the press isn't. It's not so much the press. It's the press plus the Democrats because they're almost one and the same. It's the craziest thing,” — Donald Trump, President
- “But ‘60 Minutes’ was forced to pay me a lot of money because they took [Harris'] answer out that was so bad,” — Donald Trump, President
What’s Next
The interview aired without further clarification from the White House. No additional statements from CBS News or the Secret Service have been reported, leaving the public narrative around the manifesto and the settlement unresolved.
