Paramount Global settles “60 Minutes” lawsuit with President Trump
By Easton Martin | July 2, 2025
Paramount Global, the parent company of CBS News, has agreed to pay $16 million to resolve a lawsuit filed by President Donald Trump. The lawsuit claimed that an episode of 60 Minutes, specifically an October 2024 interview with then–Vice President Kamala Harris, was deceptively edited to favor her in the presidential contest.
Under the terms of the settlement, the $16 million will cover legal fees and expenses, and the entire sum is designated for Trump’s future presidential library. No portion will be paid directly or indirectly to Trump himself or to the co‑plaintiff, Republican Rep. Ronny Jackson.
Paramount emphasized that the agreement includes no apology or admission of wrongdoing. CBS and Paramount continue to deny any deceptive editing, claiming the changes were routine and necessitated by time constraints.
As part of the settlement, Paramount also agreed that 60 Minutes will release transcripts of future interviews with presidential candidates after airing, with redactions allowed only for legal or national security reasons .
This resolution comes as Paramount pushes forward with an approximately $8 billion merger with Skydance Media, a deal that requires approval from federal regulators including the FCC.
The dispute also triggered internal fallout at CBS. Two senior executives, CBS News President Wendy McMahon and 60 Minutes executive producer Bill Owens, recently resigned amid disagreements over the company’s handling of the case.
