Lawyers Pursuing a Mediator for CBS Bias Allegations
In a significant development, President Donald Trump's $20 billion lawsuit against CBS's parent company, Paramount Global, over edits to a 2024 "60 Minutes" interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris has been **settled for $16 million** as of early July 2025.
The lawsuit, initially filed in October 2024 in a federal court in Texas, claimed CBS News edited the interview to unfairly benefit Harris's 2024 presidential campaign, alleging election interference. CBS denied any wrongdoing, stating the edits were routine and that the unedited footage confirmed Harris was quoted accurately. Trump's legal team argued the edits caused him "mental anguish," hence the increased damages demand to $20 billion.
The settlement does not include any statement of apology or regret from Paramount. Instead, Paramount agreed to pay $16 million toward Trump's future presidential library and covering plaintiffs' legal fees; neither Trump nor co-plaintiff Rep. Ronny Jackson will receive any direct payment from the settlement.
As part of the settlement, Paramount also agreed that going forward, "60 Minutes" will release transcripts of interviews with eligible U.S. presidential candidates after airing, subject to necessary redactions for legal or national security reasons. This commitment adds a level of transparency to future candidate interviews, addressing concerns raised by the lawsuit.
It's worth noting that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has recently released the full transcript of the interview in question and has asked for public comment. However, the FCC does not appear to have a direct role in this dispute or lawsuit over the edited Harris interview. The matter appears to be a private legal settlement between Trump and Paramount, not involving regulatory action by the FCC.
The settlement closes a high-profile legal dispute that drew First Amendment scrutiny and media attention but does not appear to engage any federal communications regulatory authority like the FCC. Paramount's decision to settle likely reflects a preference to avoid prolonged litigation amid other corporate pressures, such as regulatory approval for a proposed merger.
Sources:
1. The New York Times 2. CBS News 3. Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
This settlement marks a significant turn in a high-profile legal battle that has been closely watched by media and legal circles. The negotiations between attorneys for Trump and Paramount are ongoing, and the full implications of the settlement are yet to be fully understood.
- The settled $16 million lawsuit, concerning edited content in a 2024 "60 Minutes" interview with Vice President Kamala Harris, will contribute to President Donald Trump's future presidential library and cover the plaintiffs' legal fees.
- In the future, "60 Minutes" will release interview transcripts with eligible U.S. presidential candidates, subject to necessary redactions for legal or national security reasons, following the settlement.
- The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has released the transcript of the interview but does not seem to have a direct role in the dispute over the edited Harris interview, which has been settled privately between Trump and Paramount.
- The settlement closes a high-profile legal battle between Trump and Paramount, but it continues to draw First Amendment scrutiny and media attention, with ongoing negotiations between the parties.
- The $20 billion lawsuit initially filed in October 2024 in Texas claimed CBS News interfered in the election by editing the interview, allegations that CBS denied, asserting the edits were routine and that the unedited footage confirmed Harris's quotes were accurate.
- Paramount's settlement decision likely reflects a preference to avoid prolonged litigation amid other corporate pressures, such as regulatory approval for a proposed merger.
