Hard Wire

Paramount Settles With Trump

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Paramount Global and CBS have reached a historic settlement with President Donald Trump, agreeing to pay a sum that could exceed $30 million in response to allegations of election interference stemming from a 2023 “60 Minutes” interview with then–Vice President Kamala Harris. The resolution was finalized Tuesday, following months of legal wrangling and intense media scrutiny.


The agreement includes an upfront payment of $16 million to cover Trump’s legal expenses and to fund initiatives at his discretion, including his anticipated presidential library and select charitable causes. A second tranche, potentially in the mid–eight-figure range, is expected to fund conservative media content—such as advertisements and public service announcements—on CBS platforms. Paramount disputes the scope of this additional allocation, though sources familiar with the matter confirm it was a central point of contention during negotiations.


At the core of the case was the accusation that CBS News selectively edited an interview to protect the Democratic ticket during a critical period of the 2024 election cycle. Trump’s legal team alleged that CBS concealed a disjointed and widely mocked response by Harris regarding Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, opting instead to air a more coherent excerpt in a primetime special. The FCC later obtained and released full transcripts and footage, confirming the split edit, though CBS insisted the broadcast adhered to journalistic standards.

In response to the lawsuit, CBS has agreed to implement a new editorial policy requiring the release of full, unedited transcripts for all presidential candidate interviews. Internally referred to as the “Trump Rule,” the change is intended to increase transparency and avoid future disputes over selective editing.


The lawsuit’s resolution arrives as CBS’s parent company, Paramount Global, navigates a high-stakes merger with Skydance Media. Insiders suggest controlling shareholder Shari Redstone was motivated to settle the case in anticipation of regulatory review by the FCC, which has the authority to block the transaction. The timing of the settlement—just ahead of Paramount’s annual shareholders meeting—adds to speculation that the deal was part of a broader effort to remove legal obstacles ahead of the merger.

While the agreement includes a full release of claims related to CBS’s reporting up to the date of settlement, it does not include a statement of apology or any direct payment to Trump himself. CBS maintains it did nothing wrong and has stood by the original reporting.


Internal turmoil followed the legal battle. “60 Minutes” executive producer Bill Owens resigned in April, citing an inability to maintain editorial independence. CBS News President Wendy McMahon stepped down in May, signaling deeper fractures within the network’s leadership. Senior journalists, including Scott Pelley and Lesley Stahl, had publicly opposed any settlement, arguing it would irreparably damage CBS’s credibility.


Meanwhile, political opposition to the settlement has intensified. Sen. Bernie Sanders and eight Democratic senators sent a letter in May urging Paramount not to settle, calling it a threat to press freedom and an “attack on the First Amendment.” The FCC’s earlier demand for unedited transcripts, following a news distortion complaint, had already placed CBS in a defensive posture.

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