CNN's Jake Tapper has criticized Paramount Global and its controlling shareholder Shari Redstone for essentially "surrendering" by considering a settlement in a (then) $10 billion lawsuit brought by President Trump. The lawsuit addresses a "60 Minutes" interview with Vice President Kamala Harris, which some critics argue was misleadingly edited.
The NY Post reports Tapper expressed these views during a segment on his show "The Lead," stating that the issue should be of concern to all Americans who value a free and independent press, including Trump supporters, due to the precedent it could set.
"By settling this lawsuit, Paramount would be raising a white flag of surrender," Tapper remarked. "It would mean that the network, once home to Edward R. Murrow, is now, at the behest of its owners, choosing not to challenge power but to yield to it, sacrificing truth in the process."
He labeled Trump's lawsuits against media entities as a "dangerous escalation," aimed at intimidating journalists and preventing critical coverage of the president.
Tapper also cited an unnamed CBS source who predicted that "everyone expects Shari settles," suggesting that Redstone's priorities are not her legacy or the health of democracy or journalistic integrity, but rather financial gain.
"She is not concerned about her legacy [or] democracy or the work we do," the source told Tapper. "It’s only about the deal. Her pocketbook."
"Let's call it what it is... it's a bribe," the CBS source concluded.
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