Paramount settles lawsuit with Trump over '60 Minutes' report for $16 million without apology

CBS News parent Paramount Global has agreed to pay $16 million to resolve a lawsuit filed by President Donald Trump over a '60 Minutes' news report. The settlement payment was announced by Paramount late Tuesday night. The $16 million sum includes plaintiffs' fees and costs, and will be allocated to Trump's future presidential library. The settlement does not include an apology or regret statement. '60 Minutes' will release interview transcripts of eligible U.S. presidential candidates in the future.

Legal experts considered Trump's lawsuit frivolous, and CBS was expected to win the case in court. Paramount's priority to complete a merger with Skydance Media, requiring approval from the Trump administration, may have influenced the settlement decision. Paramount clarified that the lawsuit is separate from the merger process and will defend its case legally.

Trump filed the lawsuit before winning reelection, claiming a '60 Minutes' interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris was edited to benefit the Democratic candidate. CBS defended its editing as per news standards. Under pressure, CBS released the interview tapes and transcript, confirming normal editing practices. The lawsuit posed a challenge for Paramount and its controlling shareholder, Shari Redstone.

Trump's lawsuit against CBS is part of his broader effort to target media organizations. He has sued other news outlets, including The Des Moines Register and ABC News. The internal strife at CBS News over the lawsuit and merger approval became public when key executives resigned. '60 Minutes' continued producing investigations amidst the turmoil.

According to the source: CNN.