During a brief interview at a Ford factory near Detroit on January 13, President Donald Trump suggested to CBS Evening News anchor Tony Dokoupil that the journalist’s current role was tied to Trump’s return to the White House. The segment aired shortly thereafter on CBS Evening News.
“A year and a half ago, our country was dead,” Trump told Dokoupil, referencing Joe Biden’s presidency. “We had a dead country. You wouldn’t have a job right now.” He then added, “If she got in, you probably wouldn’t have a job right now… You wouldn’t have this job, certainly whatever the hell they’re paying you.”
Trump says the quiet part out loud and tells CBS's Tony Dokoupil that if he didn't get elected, Dokoupil "probably wouldn't have a job right now" pic.twitter.com/zU5GnDj9mz
— Matt Rein (@MatthewARein) January 14, 2026
Dokoupil brushed off the remark, saying, “For the record, I do think I’d have this job even if the other guys won.” Trump responded, “Yeah, but at a lesser salary.”
HILARIOUS: CBS News’ Tony Dokoupil: “For the record, I do think I would have this job even if the other guys won.”
— RedWave Press (@RedWave_Press) January 14, 2026
President Trump: “Yeah, but at a lesser salary.” pic.twitter.com/7ABjQc0ixC
The conversation touched on several broader topics, including protests in Iran, the U.S. economy, and the criminal investigation involving Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, but quickly returned to Dokoupil’s new role as CBS Evening News anchor. Dokoupil, 45, began his tenure on January 5, having previously co-hosted CBS Mornings. He was selected by editor-in-chief Bari Weiss, who said in a statement announcing his role that Dokoupil was “the person to win back” viewers’ trust in the media, citing his “old-school journalistic values.”
Weiss’ early tenure has faced criticism, particularly after a 60 Minutes segment about CECOT, a prison in El Salvador, was pulled hours before airing in December 2025. Correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi indicated in private communications that the decision was “not an editorial decision, but a political one.” Weiss had previously worked in The New York TimesOpinion section and founded her own publication.
The Detroit interview highlights Trump’s ongoing willingness to link media coverage and individual journalists’ careers to his political influence. His comments suggest he views the media landscape through a personal lens, directly connecting reporters’ professional trajectories to his administration and political fortunes.
