US media giant Paramount Global has agreed to pay $16 million (£13.5 million) to settle a legal dispute with President Donald Trump over an interview it aired on CBS’s 60 Minutes featuring former Vice President Kamala Harris.
Trump, who filed the lawsuit in October 2024, accused the network of deceptively editing the interview to favour Harris—his main rival in the upcoming 2028 presidential election—alleging that CBS intended to “tip the scales in favour of the Democratic Party.”
While Paramount has agreed to the payout, the company emphasised that the funds will be allocated to Trump’s future presidential library, not paid to him “directly or indirectly.” The agreement also does not include an apology or admission of wrongdoing, according to Paramount.
The settlement comes as Paramount pursues a merger with Skydance Media, which is currently under review by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Given Trump’s position, he technically has the power to halt the merger, a detail sources say added pressure to resolve the matter quickly. The Wall Street Journal and New York Times report that mediation helped seal the deal without further escalation.
During the month-long negotiations, several CBS News executives, including CEO Wendy McMahon, reportedly resigned rather than issue a formal apology to Trump. Internally, there were also concerns that settling the lawsuit might be perceived as bribing a public official, raising legal and ethical questions.
A spokesman for Trump’s legal team hailed the development as “another win for the American people,” saying the settlement holds “the Fake News media accountable for their wrongdoing and deceit.” He further claimed that CBS and Paramount “realised the strength of this historic case.”
CBS has pushed back on the lawsuit’s claims, insisting that the broadcast was not doctored or deceitful.
This settlement follows a recent decision by Walt Disney-owned ABC News to also settle a defamation case brought by Trump, signalling a potentially broader reckoning between mainstream media and the increasingly litigious Trump presidency.
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