Paramount Global and CBS News reached a settlement with President Donald Trump in his $20 billion election interference lawsuit on Tuesday. Trump is set to receive an initial payment of $16 million, according to Fox News. But “there is an anticipation” that a second payment “well in excess of $15 million” could follow.
Fox News reported:
[The first payment of $16 million] will cover legal fees, costs of the case, and contributions to his future presidential library or charitable causes, to be determined at Trump’s discretion.There is an anticipation that there will be another allocation in the mid-eight figures set aside for advertisements, public service announcements, or other similar transmissions, in support of conservative causes by the network in the future, Fox News Digital has learned. With these considerations, CBS would pay well in excess of the $15 million ABC paid Trump to settle a defamation lawsuit last year. Current Paramount management disputes the additional allocation.
Equally significant, sources told Fox that CBS has committed to changing its editorial policies, implementing a new mandatory measure that requires the prompt release of full, unedited transcripts for all future presidential candidate interviews. Individuals involved in the settlement have dubbed this the “Trump Rule.”
In a statement to Fox, a spokesman for Trump’s legal team wrote:
With this record settlement, President Donald J. Trump delivers another win for the American people as he, once again, holds the Fake News media accountable for their wrongdoing and deceit. CBS and Paramount Global realized the strength of this historic case and had no choice but to settle. President Trump will always ensure that no one gets away with lying to the American People as he continues on his singular mission to Make America Great Again.
He will indeed.
Paramount issued a statement that read: “The settlement will include a release of all claims regarding any CBS reporting through the date of the settlement, including the Texas action and the threatened defamation action.”
Although CBS “is not acknowledging any journalistic wrongdoing,” those who watched the interview noticed a significant discrepancy between Harris’s actual remarks and how the network presented them.
During an October 7 interview with 60 Minutes correspondent Bill Whitaker, then-Vice President Kamala Harris delivered one of her signature “word salads.”
At that point in the race, Harris’s momentum from a strong debate performance the previous month had begun to stall. Support for Trump in the critical swing states was ticking up and early voting was already underway.
Desperate to shield Harris from another embarrassing moment, CBS apparently thought a little stealth editing was in order. Harris’s actual response was featured in a preview clip of the interview on CBS’ Face the Nation. But, during the primetime airing of the interview, “Harris had a different, more concise response.”
The difference was glaring, undeniable, and dishonest. Unfortunately for the network, their presentation of the interview became the bigger story.
Several weeks later, Trump sued the network for “deceptively editing” Harris’s reply.
For months, despite numerous requests from Trump’s legal team, CBS refused to provide the unedited transcript from the interview. But, earlier this year, FCC Chair Brendan Carr ordered the company to hand it over, according to Fox.
Once that happened, all bets were off.
In May, when a settlement appeared imminent, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and eight other senators sent a letter to controlling shareholder Shari Redstone and Paramount Global’s board urging them not to settle the lawsuit. They referred to Trump’s action as an “attack on the First Amendment.” The senators claimed that a settlement would be a “grave mistake” and “a blatant attempt to intimidate the media and those who speak out against him, President Trump.” Settling with Trump would “capitulate to this dangerous move to authoritarianism.” Finally, they wrote, “presidents do not get to punish or censor the media for criticizing them.”
Many CBS insiders adamantly opposed a settlement with Trump. In April, CBS News and 60 Minutes executive producer Bill Owens resigned from his post over the lawsuit. And in May, CBS News President and CEO Wendy McMahon announced her resignation.
As I see it, once Trump’s legal team obtained the unedited transcript, there was no way for the network to avoid a settlement. It was game over.
Elizabeth writes commentary for Legal Insurrection and The Washington Examiner. She is an academy fellow at The Heritage Foundation. Please follow Elizabeth on X or LinkedIn.
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