CBS News
Trump insults Harris’ intelligence, discusses election outcome, release of medical records
Former president and GOP nominee Donald Trump said in an exclusive TV interview that he would release his medical records, as he faces off against Vice President Kamala Harris in the race for the White House. Trump, 78, also defended his repeated insults of Harris’ intelligence and said he would accept the election outcome if he believes the election is “free and fair.”
He spoke with CBS News political correspondent Caitlin Huey-Burns in Pennsylvania Monday, as Democrats kick off the Democratic convention in Chicago.
“You will release your medical records to the public?” Huey-Burns asked the former president.
“Oh sure, I would do that very gladly, sure,” Trump responded.
Barely a month after an attempt on his life at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, Trump insisted that no, he isn’t suffering from any post-traumatic stress disorder and hasn’t experienced any other lasting effects after a gunman grazed his ear with a bullet.
The Republican nominee said he just had a medical exam and received a “perfect score,” and two cognitive tests, which he said he “aced.”
“I got everything right,” Trump said. “And one of the doctors said, ‘I’ve never seen that before, where you get everything right.’ No, I have no problem. I’d go a step further, I think anybody that runs for president, whether they’re 75 or 65 or 45, I think should take a cognitive test.”
In recent rallies, Trump has been complaining about the replacement of President Biden at the top of the ticket, characterizing Harris’ nomination as a “coup.” He’s also been assailing her intelligence, repeatedly calling her “stupid,” despite her long legal career.
Huey-Burns asked Trump if that’s the right message to win over moderate voters, the kind of voters Trump will need in key battleground states.
“No, I don’t think so,” Trump said. “I think that the message is what a bad job they’ve done. I mean, if you look at this economy, if you look at inflation, and you know, I love this country. I have to do what it takes to win. I have to get this country going, because we’re going to lose our country.”
But asked for specifics, Trump couldn’t point to evidence or examples of deficits in Harris’ intellect.
“Our country needs a very smart person, and I don’t think she’s a very smart person,” Trump replied. “So, I’m not looking to — I don’t consider that an insult — that’s just a fact.”
“What evidence do you have for that?” Huey-Burns asked.
“I looked at the things that she’s said, I looked at the way she deals, I looked at her record — her crazy record — I look at her policies. I just don’t happen to think so,” Trump responded. “Now, I could say she is and I know that would be very nice. And the other thing, we have to win this election.”
The Republican nominee also said he would accept the results of a fair and free election, although he didn’t in the wake of his loss to Mr. Biden in November 2020. Trump has continued to undermine the credibility and integrity of that election, despite his own top security officials insisting it was the most secure election in history.
“I think if I lose, this country will go into a tailspin, the likes of which it’s never seen before — the likes of 1929 — but if I do, and it’s free and fair, absolutely, I will accept the results,” Trump told Huey-Burns.
Trump said he would accept the results of a free election because he’s an “honorable person.”
“If I see that we had a fair and free election, which I hope to be able to say, but if I see that, I will be — you will never see anybody more honorable than me,” Trump said. “I’m an honorable person.”
In May, Trump was convicted of felonies in New York stemming from a hush money payment made to an adult film star just before the 2016 presidential election. He faces other criminal charges over his alleged participation in a scheme to interfere with the peaceful transfer of power after he lost the 2020 election to Joe Biden. He has pleaded not guilty.
CBS News
Lithium battery fires on U.S. flights now occur nearly twice a week, according to new FAA data
As millions prepare to fly for the holidays, the Federal Aviation Administration is warning travelers about a hidden danger in their luggage: lithium-ion batteries. Found in everyday devices like laptops, tablets and even electric toothbrushes, these batteries can catch fire if they overheat or are damaged.
Last July, panic erupted on an American Airlines flight from San Francisco to Miami after a laptop battery in a carry-on bag ignited.
“It was absolute chaos. It truly felt like every man for themselves. And it was terrifying,” said Shilpa Patel, a passenger on the flight. “I don’t know if we’re going to explode. All I know is I need to get out and I need to survive.”
FAA data shows that lithium battery fires on U.S. flights have risen 388% since 2015, now occurring nearly twice a week.
“Any fire at 30,000 feet is unacceptable,” said David Wroth of UL Standards & Engagement, a safety research organization.
A survey of more than 800 flight attendants conducted by UL found that 87% are concerned about lithium battery risks on airplanes, and more than a third believe airlines should do more to ensure passenger safety. While the FAA requires airlines to include general safety information in preflight announcements, those warnings often don’t address the specific risk of battery fires.
“It’s a balance we probably need to do a better job striking with the airlines,” said Ben Supko, who oversees hazardous materials safety for the FAA. “Passengers don’t fully understand how serious the risk is.”
Supko said passengers need to monitor devices during a flight and immediately notifying the crew if a device becomes warm, discolors, or bulges. Passengers are also warned not to pack lithium batteries in checked luggage, as fires in the cargo hold are harder to extinguish.
“When you don’t know what’s going to happen, you act erratically,” said Patel. “It costs us nothing just to say, ‘Hey, the reason why we’re so serious about this is because it could be really dangerous. It could catch fire.'”
The UL survey also found that one in four passengers admits to packing lithium batteries in their checked bags. It is a dangerous practice for one reason in particular: It would be even harder to put out a fire in the plane’s cargo hold.
CBS News reached out to American Airlines regarding the incident at the San Francisco airport and potential updates to its safety announcements. The airline did not address the question directly but stated that its flight attendants receive thorough and ongoing training to handle emergencies onboard.
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