Trump Reaches Settlement In Lawsuit With CBS
Paramount Global and CBS News have reached a settlement with President Donald Trump in a high-profile lawsuit that accused the network of deliberately manipulating an interview with then–Vice President Kamala Harris to make her appear more coherent and polished during the 2024 election cycle.
The lawsuit, originally filed in October 2024, alleged that CBS edited the interview in a misleading manner that amounted to election interference. Trump rejected a $15 million settlement offer in May, and the final terms significantly exceed that amount.
According to newly released settlement details, CBS will pay an initial $16 million—more than what ABC paid in a separate December 2024 defamation settlement involving Trump and anchor George Stephanopoulos. In that case, Stephanopoulos had falsely stated that Trump was “found liable for rape,” a claim that resulted in a swift legal response and subsequent payout. CBS’s $16 million payment is designated to cover Trump’s legal expenses and to support the construction of his future presidential library. Funds may also be directed toward unspecified charitable or political causes at Trump’s discretion.
BREAKING: Paramount, CBS’s parent, to pay $16M in settlement over Trump’s lawsuit alleging edited 60 Minutes Kamala Harris interview. pic.twitter.com/QFg4jPjBnh
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) July 2, 2025
In addition to the upfront amount, the agreement includes a secondary, yet-to-be-finalized payment. Preliminary estimates indicate this second installment will also reach into the eight-figure range, pushing the total value of the settlement above $30 million. Reports suggest that these funds will be used for conservative-themed media initiatives, including advertisements and public service announcements broadcast on CBS platforms.
As part of the settlement terms, CBS has agreed to adopt new editorial standards when interviewing presidential candidates. Referred to internally as the “Trump Rule,” the policy mandates the release of complete, unedited interview transcripts to ensure transparency and prevent similar disputes in the future.
The interview in question originally aired in September 2024 and was widely criticized after conservative media highlighted discrepancies between Harris’s recorded responses and the broadcast version. A viral segment shared by RedState underscored the extent of the edits, portraying them as a strategic effort to rehabilitate Harris’s public image amid declining poll numbers.
Remember Kamala’s word salad answer about Israel on 60 Minutes? It’s gone.
This is what many Americans will now see. pic.twitter.com/H4w7btDv6x
— MAZE (@mazemoore) October 8, 2024
A statement from Trump’s legal team described the resolution as a “win for the American people,” adding that CBS and Paramount had “no choice but to settle.” The statement emphasized the president’s ongoing commitment to challenging what he calls “Fake News media.”
Paramount issued its own response, noting that the settlement did not include an apology or admission of fault. The company also clarified that none of the payments would go directly to Trump personally, though the use of funds remains largely at his discretion.