Paramount Global, the parent company of CBS, agreed to a $16 million settlement this week to resolve a lawsuit filed by President Donald Trump against CBS News and its program 60 Minutes.
The lawsuit, initially filed in October 2024 in the Northern District of Texas, alleged that 60 Minutes deceptively edited an interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris to favor the Democratic Party during the 2024 election, violating the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices-Consumer Protection Act.
Trump sought $20 billion in damages, claiming the edits caused him "mental anguish" and constituted election interference. The settlement, announced late Tuesday, included no apology from CBS and allocated the $16 million to cover legal fees, costs, and a contribution to Trump’s future presidential library, with no direct payment to Trump or co-plaintiff Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-Texas). Paramount also agreed that 60 Minutes would release transcripts of future U.S. presidential candidate interviews, subject to redactions for legal or national security reasons.
According to Deadline, he framed the settlement as a pragmatic move to focus on Paramount’s “core objectives” rather than being “mired in uncertainty and distraction.” Cheeks, who oversees CBS, stressed that the agreement did not include an apology, a point reiterated by Paramount to counter perceptions of capitulation.
The decision sparked significant backlash. CBS News staff expressed dismay, with some fearing it would tarnish the 60 Minutes brand, though they were not surprised given months of corporate pressure.
The Writers Guild of America East called it a “transparent attempt to curry favors” with the Trump administration to secure FCC approval for Paramount’s $8 billion merger with Skydance Media, which requires transferring CBS station licenses.
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