Donald Trump and CBS could settle their legal battle over a contested interview with Kamala Harris for $20m, as the dispute continues to shadow a major media merger.
A mediator has proposed the settlement figure to resolve Trump’s lawsuit against CBS News over alleged deceptive editing of a 60 Minutes interview with Harris during last year’s presidential campaign, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday.
The lawsuit, filed in October and later amended to seek $20bn in damages, accused CBS of election interference through selective editing that allegedly made Harris appear more coherent in her responses about the Israel-Gaza conflict.
CBS has consistently denied wrongdoing, saying it simply aired a more concise version of Harris’s answer rather than doctoring her comments.
The proposed deal would see $17m donated to Trump’s presidential foundation or museum, with additional millions covering legal costs and funding public service announcements against antisemitism on Paramount-owned networks.
However, negotiations remain stuck on Trump’s demand for an apology from CBS – something the network has refused to provide, sources familiar with the talks tell the WSJ.
The dispute also complicates Paramount’s $8.4bn merger with Skydance Media, as Federal Communications Commission chair Brendan Carr indicated that the controversy could influence regulatory approval of the deal.
According to the reporting, settlement discussions began in mediation this spring after Paramount initially offered $15m – less than Trump’s team demanded. The proposed $20m figure aligns with recent settlements between Trump and other major media companies.
Disney paid $15m to the Trump presidential foundation and another $1m for his lawyer fees to resolve a defamation case involving ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos in December, while Meta agreed to a $25m settlement over Trump’s social media account suspension following the 6 January riot at the Capitol.
The legal pressure has contributed to mass upheaval at CBS News, with both longtime 60 Minutes producer Bill Owens and news division chief Wendy McMahon announcing their departures earlier this year amid tensions over the network’s response to the lawsuit.
