Trump’s Legal Win Against CBS

Former President Donald Trump won a major legal settlement with Paramount Global, CBS’s parent company, over an edited 60 Minutes interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris.

Trump claimed the network altered the interview to make Harris appear smarter and more composed, giving her an unfair advantage in the presidential race. Paramount agreed to pay $16 million, covering Trump’s legal fees and funding his future presidential library. Trump’s legal team said, “CBS and Paramount Global realized the strength of this historic case and had no choice but to settle.”

The Controversial Interview

The lawsuit focused on two versions of Harris’s interview—one aired on 60 Minutes and the other on Face the Nation. Trump argued CBS edited Harris’s response about the Israel-Gaza conflict to hide what he called her “word salad,” which shielded her from criticism.

CBS denied any wrongdoing, stating, “The broadcast was not doctored or deceitful.” Trump himself did not participate in a 60 Minutes interview during the campaign. His lawsuit initially sought $10 billion, later increasing to $20 billion, accusing CBS of bias to “tip the scales in favor of the Democratic party.”

Media and Merger Pressures

The case went public in October and became part of Trump’s larger fight against the “Fake News media.” His spokesperson called the settlement “A win for the American people” and said, “President Trump will always ensure that no one gets away with lying to the American people.”

Reports suggested Paramount’s settlement was influenced by ongoing merger talks with Skydance Media, which could be affected by regulatory approval. Paramount denied this, saying, “This lawsuit is completely independent and is not related to either the Skydance transaction or the Federal Communications Commission approval process.” The settlement also requires 60 Minutes to release full transcripts of future presidential candidate interviews, addressing transparency concerns.