Paramount Pays $16 Million to Settle Trump Lawsuit Over ‘60 Minutes’ Interview, Avoids Apology

Paramount has agreed to pay $16 million to settle a lawsuit brought by Donald Trump over a 60 Minutes interview. This wraps up a long-running legal fight that started after Trump claimed the CBS show edited an interview with Kamala Harris in a way that hurt him and his businesses.

The settlement doesn’t include any apology or admission of wrongdoing from CBS or 60 Minutes. Paramount, which owns CBS, said the deal includes legal fees and a donation to a future presidential library, but Trump isn’t getting any money personally.

Going forward, Paramount said that 60 Minutes will start sharing transcripts of interviews with U.S. presidential candidates after they air. These transcripts might still have redactions if they involve legal or national security concerns. Paramount said this term came from the mediator involved in the case.

Trump had originally sued for $20 billion. He claimed that the Harris interview caused him “mental anguish” and distracted viewers from him and his company, Truth Social. He also said that the editing gave Harris an unfair advantage and led to a drop in value for his media company.

He argued the promo clips used on Face the Nation misled viewers by showing a different version of Harris’ answer compared to what aired on 60 Minutes.

CBS denied the claims and said there was no deception. They explained that the promo used a longer version of Harris’ response and that both the transcript and video footage were handed over to the FCC. CBS also called Trump’s lawsuit “meritless” and said it was an attack on press freedom.

Trump first aimed for a $25 million payout and an apology but later turned down a $15 million offer, according to The Wall Street Journal. He ended up settling for $16 million without an apology.

Paramount’s decision to settle came at a time when the company is also dealing with a big merger. Skydance Media, led by David Ellison, is working on a deal to take control of Paramount through a two-step process. That deal still needs FCC approval because it involves transferring broadcast licenses.

The lawsuit had raised concerns that it might affect the merger. Some people believed clearing the Trump case was necessary to move forward. But both Paramount and FCC chairman Brendan Carr have said the lawsuit and the merger were separate issues.

Still, Carr said the FCC investigation into the Harris interview is ongoing and that “all options remain on the table.” That could include action against CBS if the network is found to have violated public interest standards.

California lawmakers and some U.S. Senators were not happy about the idea of settling with Trump. Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, and others warned Shari Redstone, who controls Paramount, that settling might look like a bribe to influence regulators. Legal experts told TheWrap that it’s not likely to lead to bribery charges, but state lawmakers are already investigating the matter.

Two top CBS executives, Bill Owens and Wendy McMahon, left their roles in part because they didn’t support the settlement. Owens reportedly felt that corporate leadership was interfering with the newsroom’s independence.

At a recent event, Redstone was asked about the resignations and the lawsuit. She didn’t speak directly about either but told TheWrap, “There is nothing controversial about telling the truth.” She added, “Companies have not only an opportunity, but a tremendous responsibility, to use the resources that they have to tell these stories and to get them to as many audiences… but give them the facts.”

Redstone also talked about how to balance free press and business. “I don’t think there’s ever a time you have to compromise what it is that you say and do, but freedom of the press involves telling both sides of the story, giving the facts, not giving opinions,” she said.

This isn’t the first time Trump has sued major media companies. Disney paid $15 million to settle a defamation case he brought against ABC News and George Stephanopoulos. Meta also paid $25 million after Trump sued over being kicked off Facebook and Instagram following the January 6th Capitol riot.

Now, with this case closed, Paramount can shift focus to its upcoming merger and the growing pressure from shareholders and lawmakers over how it handles both business and journalism.

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