Paramount Global has agreed to a $16 million settlement in a lawsuit brought by President Donald Trump over a CBS “60 Minutes” interview with then–Vice President Kamala Harris, which the suit alleged was deceptively edited to favor the Democratic candidate during the 2024 election.
The settlement, finalized through mediation, includes legal fees and costs. The remaining funds are designated for the construction of Trump’s future presidential library, according to a statement issued by Paramount late Tuesday. The company, which owns CBS, clarified that neither Trump nor co-plaintiff Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-TX), who joined the case in February, will personally receive any of the funds.
In midnight deal, Paramount agrees to pay Trump $16 million to settle lawsuit that most experts viewed as baseless. The deal is the clearest sign yet of Trump’s ability to intimidate major American institutions. @BenMullin @LaurenSHirsch @grynbaum https://t.co/DjBNekzHXj
— David Enrich (@davidenrich) July 2, 2025
Filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, the lawsuit originally sought $20 billion in damages. It accused CBS News of intentionally editing Harris’s responses in a 2023 “60 Minutes” interview to obscure a widely mocked answer she gave regarding U.S.–Israel relations. The unedited footage later confirmed that portions of Harris’s rambling response had been selectively aired across different segments.
Under the terms of the agreement, CBS’s flagship program “60 Minutes” will begin releasing full transcripts of interviews conducted with presidential candidates after they air, subject to redactions for legal or national security concerns. Paramount made clear, however, that the settlement does not include an apology or admission of wrongdoing.
NPR: “The settlement represents a bitter blow to CBS News and its crown jewel 60 Minutes — not for what it broadcast or reported, but for a deal struck by corporate executives many layers above them.” https://t.co/y26ZbMHien
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) July 2, 2025
A spokesperson for Trump’s legal team described the agreement as a landmark decision: “With this record settlement, President Donald J. Trump delivers another win for the American people as he, once again, holds the Fake News media accountable for their wrongdoing and deceit.”
The resolution comes amid Paramount’s efforts to finalize an $8 billion merger with Skydance Media. While Paramount maintains the lawsuit is unrelated to the merger or the Federal Communications Commission’s approval process, industry observers note the timing could impact the deal’s regulatory prospects, especially under an administration critical of legacy media.
It’s the news that CBS News journalists have been dreading for months – Paramount’s settlement with Trump is now official. Here’s our story in case you missed it overnight: https://t.co/ed46o82eam pic.twitter.com/2Wqd8Zi9ox
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) July 2, 2025
CBS News has not publicly commented on the settlement. Internally, tensions have been mounting. CBS News President Wendy McMahon resigned in May, citing irreconcilable differences over the network’s future direction. Her departure followed the resignation of longtime “60 Minutes” producer Bill Owens in April, who had clashed with executives over what he described as constraints on journalistic autonomy.
Horrible news from the world of decaying corporate media https://t.co/srJV1MQ15v
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) July 2, 2025
As part of the settlement, Paramount also agreed to a full release of all claims related to CBS reporting through the date of the agreement, effectively closing the door on any pending or threatened litigation in connection with the interview and related broadcasts.
Paramount asserts that “this lawsuit is completely separate from, and unrelated to, the Skydance transaction and the FCC approval process. We will abide by the legal process to defend our case.” But…
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) July 2, 2025
