In October 2024, then-President Donald Trump filed a lawsuit against CBS and its parent company, Paramount Global, alleging that the network had deceptively edited an interview with then-Vice President and presidential candidate Kamala Harris on the program “60 Minutes.”
Trump claimed the edits were intended to favor Harris and the Democratic Party during the election, accusing CBS of “news doctoring” and misleading the public by airing two versions of the interview in which Harris appeared to give different answers to a question about the Israel-Hamas war.
Initially, Trump sought $10 billion in damages, later increasing the claim to $20 billion in an amended complaint. CBS maintained that the editing was standard journalistic practice and described the lawsuit as “completely without merit,” asking a judge to dismiss the case.
Details of the Settlement
On July 1, 2025, Paramount agreed to pay $16 million to settle the lawsuit. The settlement specifies that the funds will be allocated to Trump’s future presidential library and will not be paid to Trump “directly or indirectly.” Notably, the settlement does not include any statement of apology or regret from Paramount or CBS.
As part of the agreement, Paramount also committed to releasing transcripts of “60 Minutes” interviews with future U.S. presidential candidates after they air, with redactions allowed for legal or national security reasons.
Reactions and Implications
The settlement has drawn significant attention and controversy:
CBS News staff reportedly experienced internal upheaval, with the departures of “60 Minutes” executive producer Bill Owens and CBS News chief executive Wendy McMahon following the case.
Some lawmakers, including Senator Elizabeth Warren and Senator Ron Wyden, criticized the settlement, with Warren calling it “bribery in plain sight” and demanding an investigation into potential anti-bribery law violations.
Legal experts have argued that the lawsuit was likely baseless and would have favored CBS in court due to strong First Amendment protections for the press.
Context and Broader Impact
The settlement comes as Paramount seeks approval for an $8.4 billion merger with Skydance Media, a process requiring federal regulatory clearance. Observers have speculated that the timing of the settlement may be linked to Paramount’s desire to avoid further controversy during the merger process.
This case is part of a broader pattern of Trump pursuing legal action against media outlets over coverage he deems misleading. Paramount’s settlement follows similar recent agreements by other major media companies, including Disney-owned ABC News and Meta Platforms, both of which settled lawsuits brought by Trump in the past year.
Key Points of the Settlement
- $16 million payment to be allocated to Trump’s future presidential library
- No apology or admission of wrongdoing by Paramount or CBS
- Commitment to release future “60 Minutes” interview transcripts with presidential candidates
- No direct or indirect payment to Trump personally
Paramount stated that the decision to settle was made to avoid unpredictable legal costs, reputational risk, and the disruption of a protracted legal battle, especially in light of the ongoing merger process.
