A tense moment behind the scenes at CBS News is now making waves after The New York Times reported that White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt threatened CBS News Evening News anchor Tony Dokoupil that the administration would “sue your ass off” just moments after his 13 minute interview with President Donald Trump ended. Some witnesses were unsure whether she was serious, but the comment clearly left an impression.
Leavitt approached Dokoupil after he asked his final question during the interview, The Times reported. The paper later added context around how the moment landed with staffers. “Some of the CBS personnel who were there absorbed Ms. Leavitt’s remarks as being in jest, according to a person familiar with their thinking,” the report said.
Trump had joined Dokoupil for the interview after appearing at the Ford Truck Plant in Dearborn, Michigan, giving the segment extra visibility. That visibility matters because Trump previously sued CBS News in 2024 over the editing of a 60 Minutes interview with former Vice President Kamala Harris. Corporate parent Paramount settled that lawsuit for $16 million, which has kept legal tensions between Trump and the network in the spotlight.
CBS News confirmed that Dokoupil’s entire 13 minute interview did air, and said that was always the plan. “The moment we booked this interview, we made the independent decision to air it unedited and in its entirety,” the statement said.
Dokoupil’s role at the network has drawn attention since he was hand picked by new CBS News boss Bari Weiss. Weiss has been described as brandishing a “polite” form of Trumpism, and when she was hired, Trump publicly praised her as CBS News’ “great new leader.” That backdrop has fueled concern among critics about the direction of the newsroom.
The decision to bring Weiss aboard was sharply criticized by First Amendment advocates who worried her politics could interfere with journalistic standards. Since then, several missteps have been noted. That includes a promotional video from Dokoupil that criticized legacy media and hinted at where he believed the network should head.
“On too many stories the press missed the story,” Dokoupil said shortly before his debut, “because we’ve taken into account the perspective of advocates and not the average American. Or we put too much weight in the analysis of academics or elites, and not enough on you.” He closed that message by saying “We respect you” and “We love America.”
In another broadcast sign off that also drew attention, Dokoupil ended by saying, “Marco Rubio, we salute you.”
Taken together, the reported exchange with Leavitt, the history of lawsuits, and the internal debates about editorial direction are now putting fresh focus on how political power, media pressure, and newsroom independence are colliding in real time.