President Donald Trump reportedly did not mince words during a face-to-face exchange with CBS Evening News anchor Tony Dokoupil, bluntly telling the journalist that he owes his new high-profile media role to the 2024 election defeat of former Vice President Kamala Harris.
The pointed moment came during an exclusive interview filmed at a Ford plant in Detroit, which Dokoupil later aired on CBS Evening News. As Trump touted what he described as a dramatic turnaround in the nation’s fortunes under his leadership, he told Dokoupil that the country had gone from being “dead” to the “hottest” in the world. From there, Trump turned the focus directly on the man sitting across from him.
Trump argued that had Harris won the election, Dokoupil likely would not be sitting in the anchor chair today. He suggested that the financial and business environment under a Harris presidency would have left key figures in the media industry struggling, including Skydance and Paramount leadership. Trump singled out David Ellison, the CEO of Paramount Skydance, describing him as an “amazing guy” but speculating that he might not have been in a position to hire Dokoupil had the election gone the other way.
The merger between Skydance and Paramount, which was approved during the Trump administration, set the stage for major changes at CBS. Last month, it was announced that Dokoupil would take over anchor duties on CBS Evening News under new editor-in-chief Bari Weiss, who was named to the role in October.
“Tony, we have now the hottest country in the world, and a year and a half ago, our country was dead,” Trump told him. “You wouldn’t have a job right now. If she got in, you probably wouldn’t have a job right now. Your boss, who’s an amazing guy, might be bust.”
When Dokoupil pressed Trump on what he meant by “bust,” the president doubled down, saying he doubted it would happen in Ellison’s case but that it was still possible. Trump went on to repeat that Dokoupil would not have his current job and added a jab about compensation, saying he certainly would not be making “whatever the hell they’re paying you.”
The exchange did not end there. At the close of the interview, Dokoupil returned to Trump’s assertion, pushing back and saying he believed he would still be in the anchor role even if Trump had lost the election. Trump acknowledged the possibility but could not resist another parting shot.
“For the record, I do think I’d have this job if the other guys won,” Dokoupil said.
“Yeah, but at a lesser salary,” Trump replied.
The back-and-forth underscored Trump’s trademark confrontational style and his view that political leadership directly shapes economic outcomes, even in the media industry. It also highlighted the unusual dynamic of a sitting president telling a network anchor, on camera, that his career fortunes are tied to the outcome of a presidential election—a moment that blended politics, media, and Trump’s unmistakable flair for provocation.
