Trump’s legal troubles still haven’t escaped him. He’s fighting tooth and nail to overcome them.
And this Donald Trump lawsuit news sent the White House into an all-out frenzy.
Paramount in Talks to Settle Trump’s $10 Billion Lawsuit Over ‘60 Minutes’ Interview
Paramount, the parent company of CBS, is reportedly in discussions to settle a $10 billion lawsuit filed by former President Donald Trump. The lawsuit, brought late last year, accuses the company of deceptively editing a 60 Minutes interview featuring then-Vice President Kamala Harris.
According to The New York Times, Paramount had initially dismissed the lawsuit as weak but is now reconsidering its stance. The company reportedly believes that resolving the case could “increase the odds that the Trump administration does not block or delay their planned multibillion-dollar merger with another company.”
Shari Redstone, Paramount’s controlling shareholder, is said to “strongly support” efforts to settle the lawsuit. However, such a move could spark internal backlash. Staff members at 60 Minutes, known for its Left-leaning editorial stance, may view a settlement as caving to Trump’s demands.
A lawyer representing Trump emphasized the importance of holding the media accountable, stating, “Real accountability for CBS and Paramount will ensure that the president is compensated for the harm done to him and will deter the Fake News from further distorting the facts to advance a partisan agenda.” The lawyer added that “President Trump looks forward to seeing this case through to a just conclusion.”
A Pattern of Settlements
News of Paramount’s settlement talks follows a recent trend of major media companies opting to resolve disputes with Trump outside of court. Last month, ABC News agreed to pay Trump $15 million to settle a lawsuit, and Meta followed suit this week with a $25 million settlement.
The controversy surrounding 60 Minutes stems from allegations that the program selectively edited Harris’ response regarding U.S.-Israel relations. Trump called for an investigation into the news show in October after accusing it of manipulating Harris’ words.
“I’ve never seen this before, but the producers of 60 Minutes sliced and diced (‘cut and pasted’) Lyin’ Kamala’s answers to questions, which were virtually incoherent, over and over again,” Trump wrote on social media.
He further alleged that the edits were part of an illegal push to boost Harris politically, suggesting it could even amount to a campaign finance violation.
“This is a stain on the reputation of 60 Minutes that is not recoverable – It will always remain with this once-storied brand,” Trump stated. “I have never heard of such a thing being done in ‘News.’ It is the very definition of FAKE NEWS! The public is owed a MAJOR AND IMMEDIATE APOLOGY! This is an open and shut case, and must be investigated, starting today!”
Conflicting Versions of Harris’ Response
The controversy began when 60 Minutes aired an exchange between host Bill Whitaker and Harris about U.S. financial support for Israel in its war against terrorist groups
“But it seems that Prime Minister Netanyahu is not listening,” Whitaker told Harris during the interview.
In a promotional clip posted by CBS News, Harris was shown responding, “The work that we have done has resulted in a number of movements in that region by Israel that were very much prompted by or a result of many things, including our advocacy for what needs to happen in the region.”
However, when the full interview aired, that statement was absent. It did not appear in the television broadcast, the version posted on YouTube, the interview transcript, or the show’s “Overtime” segment. Instead, Harris’ response in the final cut was: “We are not gonna stop pursuing what is necessary for the United States to be clear about where we stand on the need for this war to end.”
The apparent discrepancy fueled Trump’s claims of media manipulation, adding pressure on CBS and Paramount. As settlement talks continue, the case remains a flashpoint in the ongoing battle between Trump and the mainstream media.
Stay tuned to The Federalist Wire.
