Trump Calls '60 Minutes' Anchor a 'Disgrace' After Reading Gunman's Manifesto That Calls Him a 'Paedophile'

US President Donald Trump responded sharply to CBS News' Norah O'Donnell when he erupted in anger during a recent interview. O'Donnell had asked Trump about excerpts from a manifesto reportedly written by a gunman involved in an attack at the recent White House Correspondent's Dinner.

In a 60 Minutes interview on Sunday night, Norah O'Donnell of CBS News quoted excerpts from the WHCA shooting suspect's document that allegedly contained extreme accusations about Trump, including references that labeled him a 'paedophile,' among other claims reported. Trump fired back at O'Donnell, calling her a 'disgrace' and saying she ought to to be ashamed, per The New York Post.

The Heated Interview

The alleged gunman from the White House Correspondent's Dinner shooting, Cole Allen, reportedly left a manifesto which consisted of over a thousand words where he stated that he claimed he was justified in targeting officials within the Trump administration.

As O'Donnell read portions of the text, 'I am no longer willing to permit a pedophile, rapist, and traitor to coat my hands with his crimes,' and asked Trump for his response,

Trump pushed back strongly, rejecting the allegations and arguing that he was being unfairly associated with the attacker's writings. He insisted that the claims had no basis in reality and criticised the decision to bring them up during the interview, saying that the focus on the manifesto was inappropriate.

'Well, I was waiting for you to read that because I knew you would because you're horrible people,' Trump responded to O'Donnell. 'Horrible people. Yeah, he did write that. I'm not a rapist. I didn't rape anybody.'

When asked by O'Donnell, 'Do you think he was referring to you?' the president said, 'I'm not a pedophile. 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.'

Trump's Continued Tirade to Host

Trump went on telling O'Donnell that her 'friends' on the opposing political side were connected to controversial figures and referenced alleged associations involving Jeffrey Epstein. He said he agreed to interview expecting criticism, and claimed he had reviewed the manifesto in person.

'You know, he's a sick person. But you should be ashamed of yourself reading that because I'm not any of those things,' Trump said, rejecting the accusations directed at him and criticising O'Donnell for repeating them, saying it was inappropriate to present those claims and insisting they were false.

O'Donnell attempted to clarify that she was simply repeating the suspect's reported statements, but Trump responded by calling her 'disgraceful.' 'You shouldn't be reading that on '60 Minutes.' You're a disgrace. But go ahead. Let's finish the interview,' he stated.

Trump Versus the Press

The 60 Minutes interview added to ongoing tensions between Trump and segments of the press. Press freedom advocates have previously noted a pattern of increasingly hostile exchanges between Trump and journalists during high-profile interviews, especially when questions involve personal allegations or controversial documents.

Last week, a similar tone was reflected when Trump defended his Iran strategy amid sustained questioning from reporters during a briefing. He pushed back against suggestions that the administration lacks clarity, insisting instead that early military actions had already achieved key objectives while leaving room for diplomatic negotiation. During the briefing, Trump snapped at reporters, calling one of them a 'disgrace.'