President Donald Trump has escalated his legal battle against CBS News by expanding his $10 billion lawsuit to include Paramount Global, the network's parent company. The lawsuit alleges that CBS deliberately manipulated and edited an interview with former Vice President Kamala Harris on "60 Minutes" to portray her as more articulate and competent than she actually was. According to Trump’s legal team, this was a clear case of media bias aimed at influencing public perception ahead of the upcoming election. The unedited interview, released following mounting pressure from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), reportedly revealed that Harris’s original responses were significantly longer and less coherent, raising concerns about the extent of editorial manipulation.
Trump's lawsuit has also gained an additional plaintiff, Congressman Ronny Jackson, who claims that CBS’s actions have directly harmed consumers of news media by providing a distorted version of events. The lawsuit argues that the broadcasted version of the interview was carefully crafted to enhance Harris’s credibility while concealing moments that could have damaged her public image. The legal filing specifically points to a key exchange between Harris and "60 Minutes" correspondent Bill Whitaker regarding Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The lawsuit states that Harris initially gave a meandering response, but the version aired on CBS was edited to remove what Trump’s attorneys describe as "word salad," making her answer appear more concise and well-structured.
Following the release of the full unedited interview, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, who was appointed during Trump’s presidency, criticized CBS for what he called questionable editorial choices. The FCC has since launched an investigation into the matter, seeking public comments and reviewing whether CBS engaged in deliberate news distortion. Trump, however, responded far more aggressively, demanding that CBS News be shut down entirely and that "60 Minutes" be permanently canceled. In a series of posts on social media, he accused CBS of engaging in election interference and fraud at an unprecedented level, stating that the network had misled millions of viewers by altering Harris’s responses.
Amid the legal battle, reports have emerged that executives at Paramount Global are weighing the possibility of settling the lawsuit to avoid prolonged litigation. However, sources suggest that CBS staffers are strongly opposed to any settlement, particularly if it involves issuing a public apology. The network has maintained that the edits were made for clarity and denied any wrongdoing, emphasizing that Harris’s remarks were not doctored or manipulated in bad faith. The controversy has sparked heated debate in media circles, with some journalists arguing that settling the lawsuit could set a dangerous precedent for press freedom, while others believe CBS needs to be held accountable for selectively presenting information to the public.
The situation has further fueled Trump’s long-standing feud with major media organizations, reinforcing his claims that mainstream news outlets are working against him. He has also linked the controversy to broader allegations of media collusion with the Democratic Party. In a separate development, Trump announced that his administration had shut down USAID, a move reportedly influenced by tech billionaire Elon Musk. Trump claimed that USAID had funneled millions of dollars into media organizations, citing reports that the agency had paid Politico $8 million for employee subscriptions. He argued that this was yet another example of taxpayer money being used to benefit media outlets that favor the Democratic Party, warning that more such revelations could emerge.
Trump’s statements have intensified scrutiny of both CBS and other mainstream news organizations, with calls from his supporters for further investigations into media practices. His critics, on the other hand, argue that his attacks on CBS and other networks are part of a broader strategy to discredit independent journalism and shape public perception in his favor. As the legal proceedings unfold, the case is expected to have significant implications for the relationship between political figures and the press, raising important questions about journalistic integrity, media accountability, and the influence of news coverage on electoral politics.
