Donald Trump Warns CBS News’ Tony Dokoupil About Job Security If Kamala Harris Wins in 2024
Tony Dokoupil Interviews Donald Trump, Discusses Economy and Recent Controversies
On Tuesday, CBS Evening News anchor Tony Dokoupil conducted an interview with former President Donald Trump at a Ford plant in Detroit, where Trump shared his views on a hypothetical scenario concerning Vice President Kamala Harris winning the 2024 election. Trump asserted that the economy would have continued declining, describing it as a “mess” under President Joe Biden.
“You wouldn’t have a job right now, if she got in. You probably wouldn’t have a job right now,” Trump stated during the conversation.
The interview included an unexpected reference to David Ellison, the CEO of Paramount, whose father, Larry Ellison, is a known supporter of Trump. “Your boss is an amazing guy,” Trump remarked, adding that Dokoupil would not have his current job if circumstances were different, suggesting a potential salary cut.
Dokoupil countered, saying, “I do think I’d have this job even if the other guy won.” Trump replied, “Yeah, but at a lesser salary.”
The interview lasted approximately 15 minutes and aired in full during the Evening News broadcast. Throughout the discussion, Trump addressed various topics, including a potential course of action against Iran amid ongoing unrest, although his statements lacked specificity. At times, Dokoupil did not challenge some of Trump’s claims, including his assertion of having “ended eight wars,” a statement that has received scrutiny from various fact-checking organizations.
Trump claimed, “there’s no inflation,” asserting that he had brought it down to levels not seen in nearly a decade. This claim contrasts with Department of Labor statistics, which indicated a consumer price increase of about 2.7% in December. Dokoupil emphasized that his interactions with everyday Americans reveal that many do not feel this lack of inflation.
“I’ve only been here for 11 months, okay,” Trump said in response, further stating that he had “inherited a mess” and claiming that “we have now the hottest country in the world.”
A particularly poignant moment in the interview arose when Dokoupil inquired about the recent shooting of Renee Good by an ICE agent. He highlighted a conversation with Good’s father, a Trump supporter, who expressed deep sorrow over his daughter’s death and the administration’s narrative labeling her a “domestic terrorist.”
“What do you want to say to her father right now?” Dokoupil asked.
Trump responded, “Well, I want to say to the father that I love all of our people. They can be on the other side, as you say. He might be on my side.”
Dokoupil clarified, “He’s on your side.”
Responding to this, Trump acknowledged that Good was likely a “solid, wonderful person” but described her as “pretty tough.” He defended ICE’s actions, criticized President Biden, and recognized the interpretations of video footage capturing the incident, noting that it could be “viewed two ways.”
“When you look at that tape, it can be viewed two ways, I guess,” Trump stated. “But when you look at the way that was, that car was pulled away. There are a couple of versions of that tape that are very, very bad.”
