On 60 Minutes, Trump Answers The Question We’ve All Been Wondering: “Why Do You Even Want This Job?”

On Thursday, President Donald Trump made good on his promise (threat?) to leak the unedited version of his 60 Minutes interview prior to its scheduled air date this weekend. Although he hoped the full video would show “what a FAKE and BIASED interview is all about” and embarrass interviewer Lesley Stahl, it’s really just a run-of-the-mill Trump interview: 38 minutes of our commander-in-chief complaining, avoiding questions, and dodging accountability. 

But in case you want to avoid watching altogether, here are the highlights: Before the interview even begins, Trump accuses Stahl of bias. She asks if he’s ready for “tough questions,” and he responds, “You don’t ask Biden tough questions. It’s terrible. It’s terrible.” He continues to assert this throughout the interview, at one point complaining that Joe Biden is only asked “softball” questions. Stahl’s first question, though, is a pretty straightforward one: she mentions the COVID-19 pandemic, racism, and other current issues in America. And then she asks the question we've all been wondering for way too long: “Why do you want this job? Why do you want to be President again?”

Trump doesn’t exactly answer the question. “Because we’ve done a great job, and it’s not finished yet. And when I finish, this country will be in a position like it hasn’t been, maybe ever,” he says.

Later, Stahl presses Trump about his super-spreader events. “We tell people to wear masks,” he says. “No, you don’t,” she responds. He also falsely claims that he is responsible for “the greatest economy in the history of the country,” which Stahl shuts down. At one point, he brings up unproven allegations about Hunter Biden, and asks why she hasn’t covered them. Stahl tells him that there is no evidence supporting the claims.

“I saw your interview with Joe Biden,” he says, ignoring Stahl’s clarification that she has never interviewed Biden. “You started with me...your first statement was, ‘Are you ready for tough questions?’ That’s no way to talk.” The interview ends with an aide giving a five-minute warning. “I think we have enough. I think we have enough of an interview,” Trump says, before standing up to leave.

Following the interview, CBS immediately released a statement about Trump’s decision to publish an unedited version. “The White House’s unprecedented decision to disregard their agreement with CBS News and release their footage will not deter 60 Minutes from providing its full, fair and contextual reporting which presidents have participated in for decades.”

Trump seems certain that the edited video will somehow make him look even worse than this one, but it’s unclear if that’s possible. And all of this comes at the heels of his final debate with Joe Biden — the first debate in which the commission has instituted a "mute" function for the moderator to cut off candidates.

The White House also recently announced that Trump, who tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this month, no longer has the virus. The second and final presidential debate will air tonight, and will cover topics including the pandemic, leadership, and climate change. But Trump has already criticized the moderator, NBC correspondent Kristen Welker, for being “extraordinarily unfair” and “far worse” than Stahl. At least there’s no way he can leak a live recording.