CBS Offered Trump $15M..Both Sides Are Far Apart

A month into negotiations to settle President Trump’s lawsuit against CBS News, a Paramount Global subsidiary, the parties remain at odds. 

According to The Wall Street Journal, Paramount recently offered $15 million to resolve the dispute, while Trump’s team is demanding over $25 million and a CBS News apology, according to sources familiar with the matter. Trump’s team has also threatened a separate lawsuit alleging bias in CBS’s news coverage. Wednesday, May 28, 2025, marked the deadline for Trump to respond to Paramount’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit.

The lawsuit claims CBS deceptively edited a 60 Minutes interview with Kamala Harris to favor her, seeking $20 billion in damages. CBS denies the allegations, asserting the broadcast was neither doctored nor deceitful. A tentative mediation session is scheduled for Thursday, May 29, 2025.

Shari Redstone, Paramount’s controlling shareholder, has recused herself from the talks. Paramount plans to appoint three new board directors in the coming weeks, increasing the board to seven, as one current director intends to resign. This move aims to ensure a full board if the settlement fails.

The lawsuit has strained Paramount’s planned $8 billion merger with Skydance Media and caused unrest at CBS News. CBS News CEO Wendy McMahon recently announced her departure, partly due to her refusal to apologize to Trump as part of a potential settlement. 

WSJ also reports Paramount executives are concerned that a settlement could expose directors and officers to liability in future shareholder lawsuits or criminal charges for bribing a public official. They aim to settle within the range of prior Trump-related settlements, such as Disney’s $15 million payment to Trump’s foundation and $1 million in legal fees to settle a defamation suit against ABC News, Meta’s $25 million settlement in January 2025, and X’s $10 million settlement in February 2025.