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Trump Seeks Apology and Over $25 Million in $20 Billion CBS Lawsuit Ahead of Mediation

Paramount’s settlement discussions combine an FCC probe of its Skydance merger with Trump’s demand for an apology plus more than $25 million in ‘mental anguish’ damages.

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President Donald Trump, talking to reporters in the Oval Office earlier this week. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
The CBS Broadcast Center in New York on Aug. 13, 2019.
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Overview

  • Trump’s legal team argues a pre-election “60 Minutes” interview with Kamala Harris was deceptively edited, causing ‘mental anguish’ and seeking $20 billion under Texas consumer-protection law.
  • Paramount Global offered $15 million to settle, but Trump’s side is holding out for over $25 million and a formal apology as mediation begins.
  • The lawsuit has prompted resignations of CBS News’s president and the executive producer of “60 Minutes,” reflecting internal turmoil at the network.
  • FCC Chair Brendan Carr has linked approval of Paramount’s Skydance Media merger to resolution of a related complaint over the Harris segment.
  • Media and legal experts warn the case could set a precedent affecting journalistic editing practices and the politicization of regulatory oversight.