The new anchor of “CBS Evening News” has struggled in his early broadcasts.

Tony Dokoupil fights to talk over car factory chaos to ask Donald Trump about Iran ‘hanging protesters’

The new anchor of "CBS Evening News" has struggled in his early broadcasts.

By Raechal Shewfelt

Raechal Shewfelt

Raechal Shewfelt is a writer at **. She has been working at EW since 2024. Her work has previously appeared on Yahoo and in American *Journalism Review* and *The Shreveport Times*.

EW's editorial guidelines

January 13, 2026 7:40 p.m. ET

Leave a Comment

Tony Dokoupil interviews Donald Trump on Jan. 13 for 'CBS Evening News'. Credit:

CBS Evening News with Tony Dokoupil

Tony Dokoupil's rocky start as the anchor of *CBS Evening News* continues.

During a much-hyped interview with President Donald Trump that aired Tuesday, he had to ask his questions with a raised voice, as the show broadcast from a Ford factory in Dearborn, Mich.

His interview subject, Trump, wore his coat, as the two discussed not cars but an urgent international issue in the noisy setting.

***Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with our EW Dispatch newsletter.***

At one point, Dokoupil asked Trump about American action on Iran, following reports that officials were hanging people protesting against the government. He reminded the president that he had said the United States would get involved under such circumstances.

Trump said he had heard two different numbers, but that some of what the journalist said was news to him.**

"I haven't heard about the hanging," Trump said. "If they hang 'em, you're gonna see some things that— I don't know what you're — where you come from and what your thought process is, but you'll perhaps be very happy."**

CBS News anchor makes shocking plea to viewers amid Bari Weiss takeover: 'Don't just trust me'

'CBS Evening News' anchor Tony Dokoupil tears up discussing his childhood

Pressed on what he meant, Trump said that the U.S. would "take very strong action" under such circumstances.

After Dokoupil asked what the goal of this action would be, Trump said it would be "to win," because "I like winning."

Dokoupil's interview with Trump comes just more than a week after he took over the anchor chair at the network.

Since then, the show has been surprisingly emotional at times and things have not always gone smoothly.

Dokoupil, the former co-anchor of *CBS Mornings*, took over the night-time program at a critical moment, after Bari Weiss' controversial takeover of the news division in October.

Still, the anchor vowed in a New Year's Day message that he would report to viewers.

"Today and every time you see me in this chair: you come first," Dokoupil said. "Not advertisers. Not politicians. Not corporate interests. And, yes, that does include the corporate owners of CBS. I report for you."

He explained what that would look like: "I tell you what I know, when I know it, and how I know it. And when I get it wrong, I'll tell you that, too. It also means I'm going to talk to everybody, and hold everyone in public life to the very same standard."**

*CBS Evening News *airs at 6: 30 p.m. ET on CBS.

- News & Commentary Shows

Original Article on Source

Source: “EW News”