President Trump’s claims of “mental anguish” from CBS’s deceptive editing of a Kamala Harris interview have pushed Paramount to offer a $15 million settlement in his $20 billion lawsuit over the network’s alleged media manipulation tactics.
Key Takeaways
- President Trump filed a $20 billion lawsuit against CBS over allegedly deceptive editing of a 60 Minutes interview with Kamala Harris
- Paramount has reportedly offered Trump $15 million to settle, while he demands $25 million plus an apology
- Trump’s legal team argues CBS violated the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act and federal Lanham Act, causing financial harm to Trump Media
- The lawsuit coincides with Paramount seeking approval for an $8 billion merger with Skydance Media, creating pressure for settlement
- Several high-level CBS executives have resigned amid the controversy, including 60 Minutes executive producer Bill Owens
CBS Facing Serious Legal Challenge Over Media Manipulation
President Trump’s legal battle against CBS has intensified as his team files objections to Paramount’s motion to dismiss his $20 billion lawsuit over alleged deceptive editing in a 60 Minutes interview with Kamala Harris. The lawsuit claims CBS violated the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act and the federal Lanham Act by manipulating footage in a way that damaged Trump personally and financially. His legal team argues that the network’s actions diverted viewership and advertising revenue from Trump-affiliated platforms to CBS’s benefit, requiring significant resources to correct the public record.
“Donald Trump’s legal team claims in a new court filing that the president suffered ‘mental anguish’ over the 60 Minutes interview with Kamala Harris at the center of his $20 billion lawsuit against CBS News, arguing that the network is wielding ‘the First Amendment as a sword,” said Donald Trump’s legal team.
At the heart of the dispute is CBS’s editing of an exchange about U.S.-Israel relations, with different excerpts aired on “Face the Nation” and “60 Minutes.” While CBS released an unedited transcript and claims the broadcast was “not doctored or deceitful,” Trump’s legal team maintains that viewers were misled, causing them to direct their attention away from Trump’s media platforms. The lawsuit specifically addresses how this alleged manipulation increased CBS’s engagement and advertising revenue while decreasing the value of Trump’s ownership in Trump Media & Technology Group.
Settlement Negotiations Amid Corporate Pressure
Settlement discussions between Paramount and Trump’s team have reportedly begun, with Paramount offering approximately $15 million while Trump demands at least $25 million plus an apology. These negotiations are taking place against the backdrop of Paramount’s pending $8 billion merger with Skydance Media, which requires approval from Trump’s administration. The timing has created significant pressure on Paramount to resolve the lawsuit quickly, though company chair Shari Redstone has recused herself from the negotiations.
“Because they were misled by Defendants’ false advertising and tampering with the entirety of the Interview, viewers withheld attention from President Trump and Truth Social by directing their attention to Defendants’ media platforms. This increased Defendants’ engagement, viewership, and advertising revenue, and decreased the value of President Trump’s ownership in TMTG and other media holdings,” said Trump’s lawyers.
The potential settlement has drawn criticism from press freedom advocates, with the Freedom of the Press Foundation threatening to sue Paramount if a settlement is reached. Democratic senators have also warned of potential investigations into whether such a settlement would constitute improper influence over regulatory approval. Despite these concerns, Paramount appears eager to keep any settlement amount comparable to other media companies’ deals with Trump, such as Disney’s reported $15 million settlement over a separate defamation suit.
First Amendment Defense and Legal Arguments
Paramount has called Trump’s lawsuit “an affront to the First Amendment” and “without basis in law or fact,” arguing that journalistic decisions are protected speech. Trump’s legal team counters that the First Amendment does not shield news organizations from liability for deceptive commercial speech. The case, overseen by Trump-appointed federal judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, has seen multiple deadline extensions as settlement talks continue behind the scenes. Meanwhile, internal turmoil at CBS has resulted in high-profile resignations, including 60 Minutes executive producer Bill Owens and CBS News chief Wendy McMahon.
“The fact that such commercial speech was issued by a news organization does not insulate Defendants from liability under the First Amendment,” the objection states. “The First Amendment is no shield to news distortion,” said Donald Trump’s legal team.
Trump’s lawsuit initially sought $10 billion in damages before being amended to $20 billion, focusing on how the alleged deceptive editing created “widespread confusion” among consumers. His legal team specifically argues that CBS’s actions constituted commercial speech competing with Trump’s media businesses, rather than protected journalistic expression. As Paramount prepares for potential fallout if the Skydance merger fails, the company is planning to nominate new board directors while simultaneously navigating this high-stakes legal battle with the President.
