Paramount In Settlement Discusses With Trump
For decades, 60 Minutes has been the crown jewel of investigative journalism on CBS, a program revered for its deep dives, hard-hitting interviews, and decades of influence over public discourse. But now, the legendary news magazine finds itself at the center of a fierce battle between the Trump administration and the mainstream media, with former President Donald Trump leveraging the power of the federal government to challenge the network in both the courts and public opinion.
At the heart of this latest controversy is an interview conducted with then-Vice President Kamala Harris shortly before the election. Trump’s newly appointed FCC Chairman, Brendan Carr, has taken the unusual step of demanding CBS release raw footage and full transcripts of the interview, which the network initially resisted, citing journalistic independence and First Amendment protections. The FCC, under Carr’s leadership, proceeded with a formal investigation, and CBS ultimately complied, publishing the materials while maintaining that its editorial choices were made in good faith.
“There’s a story playing out between Paramount and CBS News, President Trump and the FCC that any American who values a free and independent press should care about, including Trump supporters who should not like the precedent that is being set.” @JakeTapper explains it all here: pic.twitter.com/e5fWJWilP8
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) February 6, 2025
The dispute over the Harris interview is just one skirmish in a broader war. Trump has long alleged that mainstream news outlets, including CBS, have engaged in editorial manipulation to protect Democratic politicians while unfairly targeting him and his allies. The 60 Minutes controversy hinges on the claim that CBS selectively edited Harris’s response to a question about Israel, purportedly to shield her from public scrutiny. While CBS insists the edits were routine and made for time and clarity, Trump and his supporters argue that this is yet another example of media bias masquerading as journalism.
Beyond CBS, the Trump administration’s efforts to reshape the media landscape are taking on a broader scope. Major news organizations, including ABC, NBC, and NPR, have faced renewed scrutiny from regulatory agencies. The FCC, Justice Department, and Federal Trade Commission all hold tools that could be used to apply pressure to networks, whether through the review of corporate mergers, licensing agreements, or funding allocations. Paramount, CBS’s parent company, is currently in the midst of a high-stakes corporate sale, and sources indicate that its leadership is leaning toward settling Trump’s lawsuit in an effort to move past the controversy.
>> @JakeTapper spoke with a CBS News source who said “everyone expects Shari settles” with Trump. “She is not concerned about her legacy/democracy or the work we do. It’s only about the deal. Her pocketbook.” pic.twitter.com/mp7t7BXQ9W
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) February 6, 2025
Settlements, however, come with their own risks. Critics argue that each legal concession weakens press freedom, setting precedents that could embolden future administrations to exert even greater influence over the media. Some media executives and journalists, including 60 Minutes Executive Producer Bill Owens, have vowed not to apologize or back down. Others, particularly those at the corporate level, may see pragmatism as the wiser path forward, especially in an era where lawsuits against media organizations have become an increasingly common weapon in political battles.
Meanwhile, Trump’s campaign against the press extends well beyond regulatory pressure and lawsuits. His administration has targeted federal funding for public broadcasters like NPR and PBS, citing partisan bias. At the Pentagon, seating arrangements for journalists have been reshuffled, pushing out reporters from outlets like Politico and The New York Times in favor of right-leaning publications like Breitbart and One America News Network. Even major media conglomerates like Disney and Meta have reportedly reached financial settlements with Trump over defamation and platform restrictions.
The larger question looming over these developments is whether Trump’s pressure campaign represents a legitimate effort to hold the media accountable for bias or a broader attempt to undermine press freedom itself. Supporters of the administration argue that mainstream outlets have long abandoned objectivity in favor of partisan advocacy and that reining them in is necessary for media reform. Critics, however, warn that such tactics erode democratic norms and risk creating an environment where only government-approved narratives are allowed to flourish.