Donald Trump Calls Norah O’Donnell Disgraceful Over 60 Minutes Manifesto Questions

President Donald Trump called CBS News host Norah O’Donnell “disgraceful” during a “60 Minutes” interview Sunday after she raised comments the gunman from the White House Correspondents' Association dinner allegedly made about him in a manifesto.

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Axios

Axios reports that O’Donnell asked Trump for his reaction to the manifesto and allegations the suspect appeared to make about him, prompting Trump to say, “ I was waiting for you to read that because I knew you would because you're horrible people. ... Yeah, he did write that. I'm not a rapist. I didn't rape anybody.”

CBS News

In the same exchange, Trump told O’Donnell, “You read that crap from some sick person? I got associated with all stuff that has nothing to do with me. I was totally exonerated,” and he added, “I read the manifesto. You know, he's a sick person. But you should be ashamed of yourself reading that because I'm not any of those things.”

The Hill likewise describes Trump telling O’Donnell, “I was waiting for you to read that because I knew you would because you’re horrible people. Horrible people,” and later calling her “disgraceful.”

Forbes frames the dispute around O’Donnell reading passages that included the line, “Administrative officials, they are targets,” and the line, “I am no longer willing to permit a pedophile, rapist, and traitor to coat my hands with his crimes.”

Multiple outlets also record Trump’s direct rebuttal to the labels, including, “I’m not a rapist. I didn’t rape anybody,” and “I’m not a pedophile,” as O’Donnell continued pressing him on whether the suspect was referring to him.

In the same “60 Minutes” interview, Trump described how he reacted when security personnel rushed to evacuate him during the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner shooting at the Washington Hilton.

Kyiv Post reports Trump said, “Well, what happened is – it was a little bit me. I wanted to see what was happening, and I wasn’t making it that easy for ‘em,” and he added that he urged agents to slow down: “I said, ‘Wait a minute, wait a minute. Lemme see. Wait a minute.’”

Deadline

Forbes similarly recounts Trump’s account of the evacuation, where he said he was eventually told to drop to the floor as he was being escorted out.

The Guardian quotes Trump saying, “I wasn’t worried,” and also includes his explanation that he “wanted to see what was happening” and that “I wasn’t making it that easy for them.”

CBS News provides a longer transcript of the interview, including Trump telling O’Donnell, “I wasn't worried. I understand life. We live in a crazy world.”

In CBS News’ transcript, Trump also describes the moment he was told to hit the floor: “they said, "Please go down. Please go down on the floor." So I went down and the first lady went down also.”

Across outlets, Trump also described the gunman as a “lone wolf,” with Kyiv Post quoting him: “No, no, no. This was a lone wolf, in my opinion.”

The outlets tie Trump’s interview to the broader timeline of the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner shooting, including the suspect’s identification and the immediate aftermath.

“UPDATED: Donald Trump got angry with 60 Minutes‘ Norah O’Donnell after she read a portion of a manifesto left by the suspect who stormed through a security checkpoint at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner”

Deadline

Kyiv Post says US President and First Lady Melania Trump were emergency evacuated from the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington on April 25 after an armed suspect attempted to breach security, and it identifies the suspect as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen.

It adds that Allen opened fire on a United States Secret Service agent at a checkpoint near the ballroom, and that the agent was hit in a bulletproof vest and was not seriously injured.

The Guardian reports that law enforcement officers exchanged fire with the suspected gunman Cole Tomas Allen, 31, at the hotel before tackling and arresting him, and it says Allen was armed with knives, a shotgun and a handgun at the time of his arrest.

The Hill reports that multiple media reports identified the suspected gunman as Cole Allen of Torrance, Calif., and says a White House official confirmed to The Hill that the suspect did write such a manifesto.

Forbes adds that Trump said he wants the dinner to be rescheduled “within 30 days,” and it quotes Trump saying, “we should do it within 30 days, and they'll have even more security, and they'll have bigger perimeter security.”

Several outlets also describe the suspect’s expected legal next steps, with Kyiv Post stating, “His first court appearance is set for April 27,” and with The Hill noting that Allen is expected to face federal charges on Monday.

Trump also used the interview to address security concerns and the upcoming visit of the British monarch, King Charles III, saying the situation remained under control.

Kyiv Post reports Trump told O’Donnell that “The White House grounds are really safe,” and he said the area was “really safe” because it was “This area of not very many acres.”

Kyiv Post

It quotes Trump saying, “And he’ll be staying here,” and it adds that Trump said the monarch would “go[ ] to a couple of other locations” because he was “here for a few days.”

Kyiv Post further reports Trump said, “They called, and they are so looking forward to being here. We spoke this morning,” and it quotes Trump confirming when asked whether the visit was still going forward: “Yeah. No, he’s a good – he’s a good person.”

The Guardian also frames Trump’s interview as a response to the Washington Hilton shooting and notes that the interview turned “frosty” when O’Donnell put portions of the gunman’s manifesto to Trump.

In the same context, the Guardian reports that Trump urged the White House Correspondents’ Association to reschedule the event within the next 30 days, quoting him: “I don’t want to see it be canceled.”

Axios, meanwhile, focuses on Trump’s attack on press freedom and includes the line that Press freedom groups have criticized Trump for verbal attacks on journalists, while noting that the Society of Professional Journalists Representatives for the White House did not immediately respond to Axios’ request for comment.

The interview’s most immediate fallout, as described by multiple outlets, was the question of whether and how broadcast journalism should handle a mass-attack suspect’s writings, especially when they include allegations directed at the target.

“Topline President Donald Trump criticized CBS News host Norah O’Donnell, calling her a “disgrace”, after she read out a portion of the White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooter’s alleged manifesto, where he mentions allegations of sexual misconduct without naming anyone directly”

Forbes

The Guardian describes the interview turning “frosty” when O’Donnell read portions of the manifesto that appeared to refer to Trump as a “rapist” and “pedophile,” prompting Trump to call O’Donnell a “disgrace” and the media “horrible people.”

Newsweek

Axios similarly reports Trump’s reaction to O’Donnell’s question about the manifesto and says O’Donnell emphasized that the words were not hers, but Trump told her she “shouldn't be reading that on '60 Minutes,'” adding, “You're a disgrace. But go ahead. Let's finish the interview. ... You're disgraceful.”

Forbes and The Hill both emphasize that O’Donnell read passages including “Administrative officials, they are targets,” and “I am no longer willing to permit a pedophile, rapist, and traitor to coat my hands with his crimes,” and that Trump responded by repeatedly denying the allegations and calling O’Donnell “disgraceful.”

Entertainment Weekly adds that O’Donnell explained to Trump that she was quoting the gunman’s words, stating, “Mr. President, these are the gunman’s words,” and it quotes Trump persisting that “You shouldn't be reading that on60 Minutes. You're a disgrace, but let's go ahead and finish the interview... you're disgraceful.”

The Guardian also reports that Trump continued to take jabs at O’Donnell for the rest of the interview and that after she noted the suspect had reportedly attended a “No Kings” protest, Trump responded, “The reason you have people like that, is you have people doing ‘No Kings’. I’m not a king.”

Beyond the manifesto dispute, the CBS News transcript shows Trump’s broader posture in the interview, including his insistence, “I wasn't worried,” and his account that he tried to keep the event going by saying, “I tried to get them to continue the event, if possible.”