Paramount settlement of Trump’s 60 Minutes lawsuit draws criticism

Published 02/07/2025, 19:44
© Reuters

Investing.com -- Paramount Global’s settlement of a lawsuit filed by U.S. President Donald Trump over a "60 Minutes" interview has sparked criticism from CBS News staff, press freedom advocates, and legislators, according to a report from Reuters.

The media company agreed to pay $16 million to resolve Trump’s civil suit, which alleged deceptive editing of an interview with presidential candidate Kamala Harris. Journalism advocates warned this settlement creates a dangerous precedent that could threaten press freedom.

A current "60 Minutes" employee told Reuters that during a Wednesday call, newsroom staff expressed "widespread distress" about the settlement. The anonymous staffer said employees voiced concerns about the future of the CBS News prime time news magazine and its investigative journalism approach.

While the settlement did not include an apology from CBS News, which the employee described as avoiding "the worst outcome," it does require making public transcripts of future interviews with presidential candidates, which the staffer called a "horrible precedent."

Trump initially filed a $10-billion lawsuit against CBS in October, claiming the network manipulated editing of Harris’s interview to "tip the scales in favor of the Democratic Party" during the election. Trump later increased his damage claim to $20 billion in an amended complaint filed in February.

This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.

Latest comments

Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers
© 2007-2025 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.