“Real accountability for CBS and Paramount will ensure that the president is compensated for the harm done to him, and will deter the Fake News from further distorting the facts to advance a partisan agenda,” said Trump attorney Edward Paltzik. “President Trump looks forward to seeing this case through to a just conclusion.”
Paramount is purportedly discussing a large settlement with President Donald Trump, who had accused the company of deceptively editing a “60 Minutes” interview to cast former Vice President Kamala Harris in a favorable light.
According to The New York Times, some Paramount executives believe that settling the lawsuit will increase the likelihood of the Trump administration approving a proposed multibillion-dollar merger with another media company.
“Real accountability for CBS and Paramount will ensure that the president is compensated for the harm done to him, and will deter the Fake News from further distorting the facts to advance a partisan agenda,” said Trump attorney Edward Paltzik. “President Trump looks forward to seeing this case through to a just conclusion.”
However, the New York Times notes that many CBS journalists are concerned about the possibility of a settlement and what it could mean for press integrity. In the past, representatives for CBS News had strongly denied any and all wrongdoing.
Trump’s lawsuit relates to a brief exchange between Harris and “60 Minutes” correspondent Bill Whittaker. During the segment, Harris was asked why Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was not listening to American directives on the Gaza conflict.

“Well, Bill, the work that we have done has resulted in a number of movements in that region by Israel that were very much prompted by, or as a result of, many things, including our advocacy for what needs to happen in the region,” Harris replied.
Harris was mocked by some conservatives for her ambiguous answer; however, when the segment aired the next night in a primetime election special, a shorter and more concise answer was edited in.
“The interview was not doctored,” CBS News said in an October statement, adding that it did “not hide any part of” Harris’s interview or answer. It also described Trump’s lawsuit as “completely without merit.”
Left-leaning politicians, including Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, have also criticized Paramount’s apparent willingness to settle an overtly frivolous claim with the president.
“CBS may be reaching a legal settlement with Trump because he didn’t like how a campaign interview with Kamala was edited. Really?” Sanders wrote in a Twitter post. “If CBS caves, the belief that we have an independent media protected by the First Amendment is undermined.”
“CBS: stand tall,” Sanders said. “Support the Constitution.”
In December, ABC News also paid Trump about $15 million to settle a defamation lawsuit filed against the network and anchor George Stephanopoulos, who had repeatedly and erroneously said that the president had been found “liable for” the “rape” of columnist E. Jean Carroll.
Sources
Another Media Giant is Plotting Massive Settlement with Trump
Paramount in Settlement Talks With Trump Over ‘60 Minutes’ Lawsuit
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