Paramount Global (NASDAQ: PARA) announced Tuesday it will pay $16 million to resolve President Donald Trump’s legal challenge over a “60 Minutes” interview with Kamala Harris that aired weeks before the 2024 presidential election.
The settlement resolves Trump’s claims that CBS deceptively edited the October interview with his Democratic opponent to make her appear more competent and interfere with the election. Trump had originally sought $10 billion in damages, later increasing his demand to $20 billion.
Under the agreement, the payment will fund Trump’s future presidential library instead of going directly to the president. Paramount will also cover legal fees and costs. The company said the settlement “does not include a statement of apology or regret.”
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The lawsuit centered on CBS airing different portions of Harris’s response to a question about Israel’s war in Gaza. One version appeared on “Face the Nation” as a preview, while a more concise section of the same answer aired during the main “60 Minutes” broadcast.
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Trump filed the suit under Texas consumer protection law, alleging the editing misled voters. CBS had argued the case was “completely without merit” and that routine editing decisions are protected by the First Amendment.
The settlement drew sharp criticism from press freedom advocates and Democratic lawmakers. Sen. Bernie Sanders said the decision “will only embolden Trump to continue attacking, suing and intimidating the media.”
The agreement comes as Paramount seeks federal approval for its $8.4 billion merger with Skydance Media. While the company insists the lawsuit is unrelated to the merger, critics suggest the settlement was designed to curry favor with the Trump administration.
As part of the deal, Paramount agreed that “60 Minutes” will release transcripts of future presidential candidate interviews after they air, subject to redactions for legal or security concerns.
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