American media company Paramount Global has agreed to pay US President Donald Trump $16 million to settle a lawsuit related to the CBS program 60 Minutes.
This removes legal barriers to Paramount's merger with Skydance Media, a deal worth $8 billion.
Why Trump Sued
Trump's lawsuit was filed in federal court in the Northern District of Texas days before the 2024 presidential election, in which he defeated Kamala Harris.
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The American leader claimed that CBS deliberately cut out a segment from the interview in which Harris made an unfortunate comment on the issue of influencing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. According to him, the 60 Minutes program showed an edited version of the answer that hid Kamala Harris’s weak position, creating a false impression of her competence before the election.
The suit also included Republican Rep. Ronny Jackson, whose participation helped move the case to a judge known for his conservative leanings. Although legal experts dismissed Trump’s claims as weak, the case sparked a public outcry and an investigation by the Federal Communications Commission.
Reaction from Paramount and the journalistic community
Paramount said the settlement “does not include any apology or admission of guilt.” The money will also not go directly to Donald Trump, but will instead go toward his presidential library.
At the same time, anger erupted within CBS News. 60 Minutes reporters and other editorial staffers criticized Paramount management’s meddling in editorial policy. As a result, program director Bill Owens and CBS News president Wendy McMegon left the company in the spring of 2025.
Paramount said it would now publish transcripts of interviews with US presidential candidates after they air, but with possible redactions if required by law or national security concerns.
Paramount and Skydance merger
The settlement clears the way for the finalization of a deal between Paramount and Skydance Media. Under the terms, Skydance, investment firm RedBird Capital and billionaire Larry Ellison — father of Skydance CEO David Ellison — will buy a controlling stake in Paramount, after which the companies will merge into a new entity, Paramount Skydance Corp.
Trump-appointed Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr said the lawsuit does not affect the merger review, but the president has publicly linked the two issues.
