CBS Agrees to Pay Trump $16 Million in Lawsuit

July 2, 2025

Paramount has agreed to pay $16 million to settle President Donald Trump's claims that CBS News' "60 Minutes" edited an interview with former Vice President Kamala Harris during the 2024 campaign. This settlement follows ABC News' $15 million settlement with Trump over a defamation lawsuit regarding George Stephanopoulos' incorrect statement that Trump had been found civilly liable for rape. Paramount's settlement includes Trump's legal fees and costs, with the remaining funds going to Trump's future presidential library, and commits to releasing written transcripts of future "60 Minutes" interviews with presidential candidates.

Who is affected

President Donald Trump
Paramount/CBS News
ABC News
George Stephanopoulos
E. Jean Carroll
Future presidential candidates interviewed by "60 Minutes"
Media organizations covering political figures

What action is being taken

Paramount is paying a $16 million settlement to Trump
Paramount is agreeing to release written transcripts of future "60 Minutes" interviews with presidential candidates
The settlement money (minus legal fees) is being directed to Trump's future presidential library

Why it matters

The settlement represents what the New York Times called "an extraordinary concession to a sitting president by a major media organization"
This is the second major settlement by a media company with Trump in recent months, following ABC's $15 million settlement
The settlement establishes a precedent for media transparency through the release of transcripts for political interviews
The financial settlements directly benefit Trump's future presidential library

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: The Washington Informer