Paramount Reportedly Seeking Settlement In Trump’s $10B Lawsuit Over CBS Edits

Paramount Global is in discussions to settle a $10 billion lawsuit filed by President Donald Trump over allegedly deceptive edits made to a CBS interview with former Vice President Kamala Harris. The lawsuit, which accuses CBS of “election interference,” has drawn backlash from journalists at the network, who see a potential settlement as a blow to press freedom.

The dispute centers on an October 2024 60 Minutes segment in which CBS aired two different responses from Harris to the same question. The version shown on Face the Nation reportedly included a response that was not only different from the one in the original 60 Minutes broadcast but was also absent from the published transcript. Trump’s legal team claims the edit was an intentional effort to mislead voters by portraying Harris in a more favorable light.

Shari Redstone, Paramount’s majority shareholder, is reportedly behind the push for settlement, a move that some believe is motivated by financial interests. Paramount is currently negotiating a merger with Skydance Media, a deal that could face scrutiny from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) under the Trump administration. Settling the lawsuit could help smooth the path for regulatory approval.

CBS News staffers have reacted with frustration, arguing that settling the case would set a dangerous precedent. “Trump’s lawsuit was a joke, but if we settle, we become the laughingstock,” a CBS correspondent told Status on the condition of anonymity. CBS executives, including 60 Minutes producer Bill Owens and network president Wendy McMahon, are reportedly opposed to the settlement, seeing it as an attack on journalistic integrity.

Despite media criticism, corporate leaders appear to view settlements with Trump as a cost of doing business. ABC and Meta have previously reached agreements with him over lawsuits, with Meta paying $22 million and ABC agreeing to donate $15 million to Trump’s presidential library after legal disputes.

The FCC, led by Trump-appointed chairman Brendan Carr, has sent Paramount a letter requesting unedited footage and transcripts of the Harris interview. CBS is reportedly working to comply with the request, as failure to do so could complicate the company’s regulatory standing.