Donald Trump slammed Piers Morgan after the former Good Morning Britain host released a clip of an interview that appeared to show the former U.S. president walking out following a question about his claims that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from him.
The promotional video for Morgan's interview with Trump quickly raised questions about whether the walkout was genuine and Trump issued a statement accusing Morgan of attempting "to unlawfully and deceptively edit his long and tedious interview with me."
"He wanted to make it look like I walked out on the interview when my time limit of 20 minutes went over by an hour," Trump's statement said.
Though there may be a dispute about whether Trump walked out of Morgan's interview, the former president has left in the middle of interviews in the past. Here is a list of all the walkouts Newsweek could identify.
NPR's 'Morning Edition'
Though not technically a "walk out," Trump cut short an interview with NPR's Morning Edition in January this year after he was asked about false claims concerning the 2020 presidential election.
The interview was reportedly scheduled to last 15 minutes, but ran for just over nine minutes. NPR reported that it had taken six years to secure the interview with Trump.
Briefings in 2020
Trump walked out of two press conferences in 2020 in response to journalists' questions.
On July 28, he abruptly ended a briefing after CNN's Kaitlan Collins asked him about his comments in support of a doctor who had suggested alien DNA was used in medical treatments. Trump ended the briefing.
On August 8 of that year, the then president ended a press conference at his Bedminster, New Jersey, golf club as CBS News White House correspondent Paula Reid asked why he kept claiming to have passed the Veterans Choice healthcare program, which had been passed in 2014 under form President Barack Obama.
Trump didn't answer the question, but tried to move on to another reporter. When Reid attempted to press him, he left the press conference while the song "YMCA" played.
'60 Minutes' With Lesley Stahl
In October 2020, as Trump was running for re-election as president, he sat down with Lesley Stahl of CBS's 60 Minutes. During a section of the interview where Stahl said she was going to ask Trump "tough questions," the then president complained about her questioning and abruptly ended the interview.
Trump accused Stahl of not asking then former Vice President Joe Biden "tough questions," though Stahl hadn't interviewed Biden at that point. After a back and forth, a producer told Stahl about how much time they had left.
"I think we have enough of an interview here" Trump said, and added: "Thanks. I'll see you in a little while. Thanks." He did not come back.
Local News Reporters in 2016
During the 2016 presidential election, Trump walked away from an interview with reporter Colleen Marshall of Ohio's WCMH after she asked him a question about the fact he had been accused of racism. She spoke to Trump in October before a rally in Delaware, Ohio.
"Nineteen days out from the election, you've been labeled a racist, you've been called a sexist, how..." Marshall said but Trump interrupted: "Thank you very much."
"How do you respond to that?" Marshall asked.
"I am the least racist person you've ever met," Trump said and ended the interview.
On the same day, Trump cut short an interview with Kevin Landers of Ohio's 10TV when he was asked about an accusation of inappropriate touching made against him by Karena Virginia, who said it had taken place at the U.S. Open in Queens in 1998.
"I know the woman came out today about the U.S. Open who says you groped her, today, can you answer allegations about that?"
Someone reportedly signaled to Trump to cut the conversation short, citing time, and Trump told Landers: "I know nothing about that." As Landers attempted to press him, Trump added: "No. I know nothing."
Sacha Baron Cohen
In 2003, Trump sat down with comedian Sacha Baron Cohen, who was playing one of his characters, known as Ali G. The interview was for Cohen's HBO series Da Ali G Show.
Cohen asked Trump about the history of business and the New York property mogul, as he was then best known, explained that business started a long time ago when people "were trading in rocks and stones and things."
Cohen then pitched his own business idea to Trump - ice cream gloves. Though Trump appeared to hear him out for briefly, he then left the interview and said goodbye to the audience.
Charles Feldman of CNN
After the 2020 incident with CBS's Lesley Stahl, a much older interview walkout resurfaced. In March 1990, Trump walked out of an interview with CNN's Charles Feldman when he was asked about the financial stability of his casinos in Atlantic City.
Feldman asked Trump about predictions that the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City would not be successful. Trump said that "most analysts" believed it would be a success.
"I think it's going to be so beautiful a building, and it turned out to be so beautiful a building, that everybody is going to come. The world is coming to see the Taj Mahal," he said.
Feldman pressed him on analysts' views. In a similar vein to his conversation with Stahl, Trump complained about the line of questioning and then proceeded to leave the interview.
"Do the interview with somebody else. Really. You don't need this. Do it with somebody else. Have a good time. Frankly, you're a very negative guy, and I think it's very unfair reporting. Good luck," Trump said.
In July 1991, the Trump Taj Mahal casino filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
Newsweek has asked former President Trump's office for comment.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Darragh Roche is a U.S. News Reporter based in Limerick, Ireland. His focus is reporting on U.S. politics. He has ... Read more
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