Paramount to pay the president $16M over ‘60 Minutes’ Harris interview

CBS News’ parent company, Paramount, has agreed to a $16 million settlement with President Donald Trump over allegations that it edited Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris’s 60 Minutes interview to favor her during the 2024 election.

Trump claimed CBS distorted Harris’s comments to influence voters. Although the network defended its editing choices as time-related, it chose to settle.

Under the agreement
CBS will not issue an apology but will begin releasing full transcripts of all future 60 Minutes interviews with US presidential candidates.

The settlement money will fund Trump’s future presidential library, not go to him personally.

Shari Redstone, Paramount’s controlling shareholder, supported the deal that comes as Paramount’s merger with Skydance Media awaits approval from the Federal Communications Commission.

What are critics saying?
Journalists and press advocates warn the deal sets a troubling precedent, suggesting that editorial decisions could now trigger financial or legal repercussions for news organizations.