Paramount Global, the parent company of 60 Minutes, reportedly quietly agreed on Tuesday to pay $16 million to settle President Donald Trump’s lawsuit alleging deceptive editing of a high‑profile interview with Vice President Kamala Harris.
The funds will go to Trump’s future presidential library rather than directly to him, and the settlement requires Paramount to publish full transcripts of any future interviews with presidential candidates, though redactions are permitted for legal or national-security reasons.
Trump initially filed a $10 billion suit in Texas state court in October, later amending the claim to $20 billion.
The lawsuit accused CBS of splicing two different versions of Harris’s response regarding the Israel–Hamas conflict, contending that the edit misled viewers and benefited her campaign.
Paramount denied wrongdoing but opted to settle, citing the unpredictable costs and reputational risks of protracted litigation—concerns heightened by the company’s pending $8.4 billion merger with Skydance Media and associated FCC scrutiny.
The agreement notably does not include any apology or admission of fault on Paramount’s part. Instead, it calls for enhanced transparency: the network must “release transcripts of future presidential candidate interviews post-broadcast,” albeit with allowable redactions.
The settlement also resolves any outstanding claims against CBS related to the interview.
The reaction has been mixed. Trump’s legal team cheered the outcome, framing it as a victory for accountability in journalism.
Media advocates, however, warn the settlement could set a fraught precedent, enabling political figures to use consumer protection laws to pressure news organizations—potentially chilling free reporting.
Within CBS, the case has already prompted disruption: 60 Minutes executive producer Bill Owens and CBS News president Wendy McMahon resigned earlier this year, citing diminished editorial independence.
Paramount’s co‑chief executive, George Cheeks, told shareholders the settlement was intended to minimize further financial and regulatory risk, preserve the company’s public standing, and smooth the path for its FCC‑reviewed merger.
Wall Street responded—Paramount shares dipped slightly on the settlement news but are up markedly this year amid growing optimism over the Skydance deal.
This accord follows similar Trump lawsuits resolved earlier this year. ABC News agreed to a $15 million settlement and issued a partial apology for defamation claims, while Meta Platforms paid $25 million over claims involving suspended Trump social media accounts.
Paramount’s resolution adds to a pattern of media companies opting to settle rather than litigate high-stakes defamation and editing claims from the president.
With this settlement now official, Paramount aims to close a contentious chapter and refocus on its core media operations.
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