Advertisement

'60 Minutes' says the huge book Trump's press secretary presented to Lesley Stahl as his 'healthcare plan' was largely filled with existing legislation

U.S. President Donald Trump reacts during the third and final presidential debate with Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, U.S., October 22, 2020. REUTERS/Jim Bourg/Pool
President Donald Trump. REUTERS/Jim Bourg/Pool
  • A heavy book that the White House press secretary, Kayleigh McEnany, presented to Lesley Stahl as President Donald Trump's healthcare plan during a "60 Minutes" interview was largely filled with existing legislation, the show said.

  • Stahl said in a clip — and "60 Minutes" suggested in a tweet on Sunday — the book had a series of executive orders and congressional initiatives "but no comprehensive health plan."

  • The Washington Examiner reported last week that a copy of the book it obtained did contain some details about a healthcare plan but that much of it was 13 executive orders and 11 pieces of healthcare legislation enacted during Trump's presidency.

  • McEnany delivered the book to Stahl after Trump chided Stahl for asking "tough" questions and walked out of the interview.

  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

A large book that the White House press secretary, Kayleigh McEnany, presented to Lesley Stahl, who interviewed the president for "60 Minutes," was filled with previously issued executive orders and legislation instead of Trump's healthcare plan, the show said.

During the interview, which was filmed last Tuesday and aired Sunday, Trump became increasingly frustrated by what Stahl had promised would be "tough" questions. Trump cut short the interview and walked out.

"You brought up a lot of subjects that were inappropriately brought up. They were inappropriately brought up right from the beginning," Trump said.

Read moreJared Kushner floating launch of a new Trump-branded media outlet, GOP sources say. It's another sign of a looming 2020 defeat.

A clip that "60 Minutes" published on Sunday showed what happened in the moments after the president left the room.

As the president left, Stahl turned to somebody off-camera and said, "I've got a lot of questions I didn't ask."

While the "60 Minutes" crew waited to see whether the president would return to complete the interview, McEnany entered the room and gave Stahl what appeared to be a thick book. "Lesley, the president wanted me to deliver his healthcare plan," McEnany said. "It's a little heavy."

Stahl, who appeared surprised by the weight of the book, replied, "Oh my God, this is his healthcare plan?"

McEnany told Stahl that Vice President Mike Pence would arrive for an interview shortly but that Trump would not return. "The president's given you a lot of time," she said.

Stahl said in the clip — and "60 Minutes" suggested in a tweet with the clip on Sunday — that the book was "filled with executive orders, congressional initiatives, but no comprehensive health plan."

The conservative-leaning Washington Examiner reported last week, in an article cited by the fact-checking site Snopes, that a 512-page digital copy of the book it obtained included 13 executive orders and 11 pieces of healthcare legislation enacted during Trump's presidency.

The Washington Examiner said the copy did contain pages of a document called the America First Healthcare Plan, as well as an executive order issued last month describing Trump's healthcare aims. McEnany shared a link to the report.

CBS told Snopes that the Washington Examiner's description of the book was accurate.

In a tweet last Tuesday, McEnany said the book had information about what Trump "has done for healthcare in the United States."

Trump on Wednesday tweeted four photos of the interaction and said the book described "some of the many things we've done for Healthcare."

Watch the video below:

McEnany subsequently accused CBS of "misleading" viewers, claiming in a tweet Monday that she had handed two documents to Stahl — one containing Trump's healthcare achievements, and another containing his healthcare plan.

Read the original article on Business Insider