Donald Trump’s ‘60 Minutes’ interview: 7 major takeaways

Authors: Giulia Carbonaro

Publisher:

Newsweek

Published: 11/3/2025

Language:English

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Tom Banks

Good morning 小王, I'm Tom Banks, and this is Goose Pod for you. Today is Tuesday, November 4th, and we have quite a topic to unravel.

Morgan Freedman

I'm Morgan Freedman, and we're diving into Donald Trump’s ‘60 Minutes’ interview: 7 major takeaways. A nearly 90-minute sit-down at Mar-a-Lago, but only 27 minutes made it to broadcast.

Tom Banks

That’s a lot of editing! Among the cuts was a spirited exchange about his pardon of crypto billionaire Changpeng Zhao, whom Trump claimed not to know. He called it a 'Biden witch hunt' and emphasized his support for the crypto industry.

Morgan Freedman

A curious disconnect, certainly, and a familiar narrative of perceived persecution. It reminds one of how he frames his public engagements, always with an eye toward asserting his position and the 'honor' of the moment, much like his reflections on his UK state visit.

Tom Banks

He also didn't confirm striking Venezuela, though he stated President Maduro’s days are 'numbered.' And he defended ICE raids, saying they 'haven’t gone far enough,' blaming 'liberal judges' for holding them back.

Morgan Freedman

A strong stance, advocating for more aggressive enforcement, while also expressing doubt about military intervention. It paints a picture of a leader who is decisive, yet also strategically opaque when it suits the moment.

Tom Banks

Interestingly, segments about Trump boasting of a $16 million settlement from Paramount, CBS’s parent company, after a lawsuit, were also cut. He seems to find profound satisfaction in these victories.

Morgan Freedman

Indeed. This interview, though condensed, offered a glimpse into his consistent approach to public perception and his unwavering defense of his actions and policies, even when faced with scrutiny.

Tom Banks

Now, let’s dig into some background, particularly Trump's views on China's dominance in rare earth minerals. He believes their leverage won't last forever, despite their 25 to 30 years of accumulation.

Morgan Freedman

This perspective reflects a profound shift in global resource strategy. China has, for decades, meticulously cultivated its rare earth advantage, a silent strength that powers much of our modern technology, from smartphones to electric vehicles.

Tom Banks

He claims the U.S. is now actively developing its own rare earth capabilities, which he believes will diminish China’s advantage. A bold claim, considering the time it takes to build such an industry.

Morgan Freedman

It is a long game, certainly. The very phrase 'rare earth' itself hints at the geological rarity and the complex, often environmentally challenging, extraction processes. It's not simply a matter of finding it, but responsibly and efficiently bringing it to market.

Tom Banks

He also mentioned recent meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping, announcing closer trade ties, and that the U.S. is 'doing very well with China.' A pragmatic approach, if you consider the economic realities.

Morgan Freedman

Pragmatism, indeed. In the grand tapestry of international relations, economic interdependence often weaves a stronger bond than any treaty. The idea is that if nations benefit mutually, the incentive for discord lessens. A complex dance, to be sure.

Tom Banks

It’s a long-standing issue, this rare earth situation. China has been the primary supplier for so long, it's hard to imagine a rapid shift, but Trump certainly seems confident in America's new efforts.

Morgan Freedman

Confidence, a powerful currency in itself. Yet, the earth holds its secrets closely, and unlocking them requires not just will, but immense investment and sustained effort. Only time will reveal the true measure of these new endeavors.

Tom Banks

Moving onto conflict, Trump's return to '60 Minutes' was his first since settling a lawsuit against CBS. He's no stranger to legal battles with news organizations.

Morgan Freedman

No stranger at all. This particular settlement highlights a recurring tension between powerful political figures and the media, a delicate balance where the pursuit of truth often collides with accusations of bias or misrepresentation. It's a dance as old as journalism itself.

Tom Banks

Another area of conflict is his stance on New York City funding if Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani wins the mayoral election. Trump, a New Yorker himself, threatened to cut federal money, calling Mamdani a 'Communist.'

Morgan Freedman

A bold political maneuver, certainly. It underscores the sharp ideological divides within American politics, where the label 'Communist' can be deployed to great effect, shaping public opinion and potentially influencing electoral outcomes.

Tom Banks

He even said he'd prefer a 'bad Democrat' over a 'Communist.' This shows his strong opposition to certain political ideologies, especially when it comes to cities he has personal ties to.

Morgan Freedman

Indeed. It illustrates a deep-seated philosophical chasm, where the perceived threat of a particular political system outweighs other considerations, even for a city that has shaped his own narrative. A fascinating study in political conviction, I'd say.

Tom Banks

Now, the impact of these events. The U.S.-China trade truce, for instance, removed a big deterrent for foreign investors, according to Kristina Hooper from Man Group, though she said it didn't 'change anything dramatically.'

Morgan Freedman

A subtle shift, rather than a seismic event. These truces often act as a balm, easing anxieties without fundamentally altering the underlying dynamics. The market, in its infinite wisdom, tends to price in such expectations long before they materialize.

Tom Banks

China also agreed to pause new export controls on rare earth minerals for a year. This is significant, as rare earths are vital for many industries, including cars, planes, and weapons.

Morgan Freedman

Indeed, a strategic pause. Rare earths are the quiet enablers of our technological age, their absence capable of disrupting entire supply chains. This agreement, therefore, offers a momentary reprieve, allowing industries to breathe, yet the underlying tension persists.

Tom Banks

But the trade agreement between Trump and Xi 'appeared to do little to boost stocks,' according to Jack McIntyre, a portfolio manager. He said good news often gets discounted beforehand.

Morgan Freedman

A classic market phenomenon. The whispers of anticipation often precede the shout of confirmation, leaving little room for dramatic surges upon actual announcement. The market, in essence, has already rendered its judgment.

Tom Banks

Looking ahead, Trump hinted at a possible 2028 presidential run, despite the 22nd Amendment. He mentioned JD Vance and Marco Rubio as potential successors, showcasing a 'strong bench.'

Morgan Freedman

The future, ever a canvas for speculation. His continued presence in the political discourse, even as a potential future candidate, underscores a deep engagement with the nation's trajectory. A testament to his enduring influence, perhaps.

Tom Banks

He also stated that Nvidia’s latest Blackwell chips won't be sold to China, and there are new sanctions against Russia’s biggest oil producers. These actions could shape global tech and energy landscapes.

Morgan Freedman

Such decisions cast long shadows, influencing not only economic relations but also the delicate balance of power on the global stage. The future, as always, is a consequence of the choices made in the present.

Tom Banks

That's the end of today's discussion on Goose Pod. Thank you, 小王, for listening.

Morgan Freedman

We hope our insights illuminated the complexities of these events. Until next time, keep pondering the world around you.

This podcast dissects Donald Trump's '60 Minutes' interview, highlighting key takeaways. Discussions cover his views on crypto, Venezuela, ICE raids, rare earth minerals, and China trade. The episode also touches on his legal battles, stance against "communism," and hints at a potential 2028 presidential run, analyzing his consistent public persona.

Read original at Newsweek →

President Donald Trump spent nearly 90 minutes speaking to CBS ‘60 Minutes’ host Norah O’Donnell at his Florida residence of Mar-a-Lago on Friday, talking about the ongoing government shutdown, his vision for the country, and who will succeed him.It was Trump’s first sit-down interview with CBS News since, almost exactly a year ago, the president sued the news channel’s parent company Paramount for allegedly editing an interview with Kamala Harris in a way that he claimed was deceptive.

Paramount settled that lawsuit this summer for $16 million, without an apology or an admission of wrongdoing. The interview with O’Donnell was aired on Sunday. Here are the main highlights from the hour-and-a-half long conversation.1. Donald Trump Says China Won’t Be Able To Use Rare Earth Minerals Leverage for LongTrump and China’s President Xi Jinping met in South Korea last week, announcing closer trade ties between their two countries.

The U.S. president said he was cutting the "fentanyl tariff" on Chinese goods from 20 percent to 10 percent. In return, Xi said China would ease its chokehold on rare earth minerals, agreeing to delay the introduction of its latest round of export controls. During the 60 Minutes interview, Trump told O’Donnell that he "got sort of everything that we wanted" from the deal.

"We got-- no rare earth threat. That’s gone, completely gone," he said."But-- we have-- billions and billions of dollars coming in, and we have a very good relationship. I mean, we have-- a great relationship with a powerful country. And I’ve always felt if we can make deals that are good, it’s better to get along with China than not, if you can’t make the right kind of a deal than not, because, you know, China, along with many other countries (they're not alone in this), they've ripped us off from day one."

They’ve ripped us so much. They’ve taken trillions of dollars out of our country. And now they’re-- it’s the opposite. I mean, we’re doing very well with China, and hopefully they’re gonna do very well with us. But I do think it’s important that China and the U.S. get along, and we get along very well at the top."

Trump also told O’Donnell that China won’t be able to use his dominance on the rare earth minerals sector for long. "The power they have is rare earth because of the fact that they’ve been accumulating it and-- and really taking care of it for a period of 25, 30 years. Other countries haven’t. Now we are.

I mean, we have tremendous rare earth, and it’s going to be-- you know, it’s going to be-- it’ll be a strength, but it won’t really be a strength if everybody has it. Everyone’s gonna have it pretty soon."2. Donald Trump Says U.S. Needs To Start Nuclear TestingLast week, Trump ordered the Pentagon to immediately resume testing of nuclear weapons, generating puzzlement among the public and officials.

In his interview with CBS News, he confirmed that he wants the U.S. to start testing nuclear weapons again to keep up with the countries which, he says, are already doing it."Russia’s testing, and China’s testing, but they don’t talk about it. You know, we’re an open society. We’re different. We talk about it.

We have to talk about it, because otherwise you people are gonna report-- they don’t have reporters that gonna be writing about it. We do. No, we’re gonna test, because they test and others test. And certainly North Korea's been testing. Pakistan’s been testing."We have the best, and I was the one that renovated them and built them during a four-year period.

And I hated to do it, because the destructive capability is something you don’t even wanna talk about. But if other people are gonna have ‘em, we’re gonna have to have ‘em."And if we have ‘em, we have to test ‘em, otherwise you don’t really know how they’re gonna work. And we don’t wanna ever use them."

3. Donald Trump Will Cut Down Funding to New York if Zohran Mamdani Wins The president spoke negatively about 34-year-old Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani, who is the favorite to win New York City’s mayoral election on Tuesday, November 4. The latest polls give him ahead by several points over his rivals Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa.

Trump, as a New Yorker with strong financial ties to the city, told O’Donnell: "It’s gonna be hard for me as the president to give a lot of money to New York. Because if you have a Communist running New York, all you’re doing is wasting the money you’re sending there."Trump said he would rather have Cuomo winning in the city.

"So I don’t know that he’s won, and I’m not a fan of Cuomo one way or the other, but if it’s gonna be between a bad Democrat and a Communist, I’m gonna pick the bad Democrat all the time, to be honest with you."4. Donald Trump Dismisses War Against Venezuela Last week, The Wall Street Journal reported that the Trump administration had identified targets in Venezuela including military facilities used to smuggle drugs, and the Miami Herald cited anonymous sources saying that the U.

S. was getting ready to strike them at any moment.While the latter report was dismissed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who called it a "fake story," tensions have grown in the Caribbean over the weekend. "I wouldn’t be inclined to say that I would do that," Trump told O’Donnell after the 60 Minutes host asked him about the possibility of striking targets on the ground in Venezuela.

"But-- because I don’t talk to a reporter about whether or not I’m gonna strike. I’m not gonna-- you know, you're a wonderful reporter, you’re very talented, but I’m not gonna tell you what I’m gonna do with Venezuela, if I was gonna do it or if I wasn’t going to do it.Asked whether the country was going to war with Venezuela, Trump told O’Donnell: "I doubt it.

I don’t think so. But they’ve been treating us very badly, not only on drugs—they’ve dumped hundreds of thousands of people into our country that we didn’t want, people from prisons-- they emptied their prisons into our country."Trump, however, told O’Donnell that Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro’s days are numbered.

5. Donald Trump Says ICE Has Not Gone Far EnoughConfronted about the tactics used by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) agents over the past few months, which have sparked protests across the country from Los Angeles to Chicago, Trump defended officers’ actions.O’Donnell asked Trump: "More recently, Americans have been watching videos of ICE tackling a young mother, tear gas being used in a Chicago residential neighborhood, and the smashing of car windows.

Have some of these raids gone too far?"The president responded: "No. I think they haven’t gone far enough because we’ve been held back by the-- by the judges, by the liberal judges that were put in by Biden and by Obama."6. Donald Trump Says He Does Not Know Who Changpeng Zhao Is, Despite Pardoning Him Despite pardoning him only last month, the president told O’Donnell he did not know who cryptocurrency multibillionaire Changpeng Zhao was."

I don’t know who he is. I know he got a four-month sentence or something like that. And I heard it was a Biden witch hunt," he said. "But this man was treated really badly by the Biden administration. And he was given a jail term. He’s highly respected. He’s a very successful guy. They sent him to jail and they really set him up.

That’s my opinion. I was told about it," he added."I said, ‘Eh, it may look bad if I do it. I have to do the right thing.’ I don’t know the man at all. I don’t think I ever met him. Maybe I did. Or, you know, somebody shook my hand or something. But I don’t think I ever met him. I have no idea who he is.

I was told that he was a victim, just like I was and just like many other people, of a vicious, horrible group of people in the Biden administration."Zhao, the co-founder of crypto exchange Binance, pleaded guilty to money laundering in 2023 and served four months in prison, while also stepping down as chief executive of the company.

Trump pardoned him last month, with White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt saying Zhao had been persecuted as part of the Biden administration "war on cryptocurrency"—a sector that Trump has strongly supported during his second term in the White House.7. Donald Trump Suggests Possible Successors for 2028Trump was also asked about rumors that he may run for a third term in 2028, which he himself has contributed to fueling, while never clearly saying whether he will or not seek reelection—despite the obstacle represented by the Constitution’s 22nd Amendment."

I don’t even think about it I will tell you, a lotta people want me to run. But the difference between us and the Democrats is we really do have a strong bench. I don’t wanna use names, because it’s, you know, inappropriate. But it’s too early. We’re talking three-and-a-quarter years," he said.Prompted to talk about Vice President JD Vance and Rubio, who have recently been mentioned as potential candidates for the 2028 presidential election, Trump said: "I do like JD Vance.

Or secretary Marco Rubio. I like so many people. We have an unbelievable bench. We could run two people together. We have a great bench."

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