White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt warned CBS News that the network could face legal action if it failed to air President Donald Trump’s interview in full, according to audio obtained by The New York Times. The warning came moments after Trump wrapped up a taped interview with “CBS Evening News” anchor Tony Dokoupil earlier this week in Michigan.
According to the recording, Leavitt relayed a message directly from the president, telling CBS staff to ensure the interview was broadcast without edits. “He said, ‘Make sure you guys don’t cut the tape, make sure the interview is out in full,’” Leavitt said. Dokoupil responded that the network planned to do so. Leavitt then added, “If it’s not out in full, we’ll sue your a– off,” according to the audio.
Karoline Leavitt Warns CBS: Air The Full Trump Interview or "we’ll sue your ass off." pic.twitter.com/jp8sZkCcMw
— Mr Producer (@RichSementa) January 18, 2026
Some CBS staffers present interpreted the remark as a joke. Dokoupil appeared to respond in a lighthearted manner, saying, “He always says that!” Kim Harvey, executive producer of “CBS Evening News,” could also be heard reacting to the exchange.
CBS News later confirmed that it aired the interview in its entirety, saying that decision had been made independently before the warning was issued. “The moment we booked this interview we made the independent decision to air it unedited and in its entirety,” a CBS News spokesperson said. The interview was published in full later that night.
Leavitt defended the administration’s stance, saying, “The American people deserve to watch President Trump’s full interviews, unedited, no cuts. And guess what? The interview ran in full.”
The exchange comes amid heightened tensions between Trump and major media outlets, particularly CBS. Trump previously sued the network over a 2024 “60 Minutes” interview with then–Vice President Kamala Harris, accusing CBS of misleading editing and election interference. That lawsuit was settled last year by Paramount, CBS’s parent company, which agreed to pay $16 million toward Trump’s future presidential library.
During the interview with Dokoupil, Trump discussed foreign policy and domestic issues, including Iran. He warned that the United States would take “very strong action” if the Iranian regime begins executing protesters, signaling a hardline stance amid ongoing unrest in the country.
The conversation also included a contentious exchange about the U.S. economy. Trump told Dokoupil that he “wouldn’t have a job right now” if Harris had won the 2024 election, suggesting that the country’s economic performance under his administration was responsible for the network’s success. Trump referenced CBS’s ownership, mentioning David Ellison, head of Paramount, and his father, billionaire Larry Ellison.
As the interview concluded, Dokoupil pushed back, telling the president that he believed he would still have his job regardless of the election outcome. Trump responded by joking that it would likely be “at a lesser salary.”
