Incident
United States: Paramount settlement of Donald Trump's lawsuit over a 60 Minutes interview, July 2025
On July 1, 2025, Paramount, the parent company of the United States broadcaster CBS News, announced that it would settle for US$16 million a lawsuit brought by Donald Trump, the president of the United States, over how the CBS program 60 Minutes edited a 2024 interview with Kamala Harris, then vice-president. The money goes to Trump's future presidential library and the plaintiffs' fees and costs, and 60 Minutes will release transcripts of future interviews with presidential candidates, "subject to redactions as required for legal or national security concerns." Paramount "has maintained that the lawsuit was completely without merit," according to CBS News.1
What happened
Donald Trump sued CBS News' parent company, Paramount, over 60 Minutes' editing of a 2024 interview with Kamala Harris, then vice-president of the United States. The lawsuit alleged that the network aired two differently edited excerpts of the same answer, on Face the Nation and on 60 Minutes, in a deceptive way. Ronny Jackson was a co-plaintiff.2134
On July 1, 2025, Paramount announced a US$16 million settlement, reached with a mediator. The money goes to Trump's future presidential library and the plaintiffs' fees and costs rather than to Trump or Jackson personally. Paramount said the lawsuit was without merit and that the editing followed standard practice.2134
Under the settlement, 60 Minutes will release transcripts of interviews with presidential candidates, subject to redactions for legal or national security reasons.2134
Status as of 2026-09-22: Settled. The lawsuit ended with the settlement announced on July 1, 2025.4
What reason was given
Stated justificationTrump's lawsuit alleged that CBS aired two differently edited excerpts of the same answer from the Harris interview in a deceptive way. Paramount "has maintained that the lawsuit was completely without merit," according to CBS News.2
What changed for reporting
Under the settlement announced on July 1, 2025, 60 Minutes will release transcripts of its interviews with presidential candidates, "subject to redactions as required for legal or national security concerns."3
Timeline
2025
Who acted
| Name | Role in this incident | Office at the time |
|---|---|---|
| Donald Trump | other | President of the United States |
Outlets and journalists
| Name | Kind | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| CBS News | outlet | affected |
Sources
Claims and evidence
Each numbered claim quotes the source it rests on.
- Paramount announced the $16 million settlement.
Paramount will settle President Trump's lawsuit over a "60 Minutes" interview with Kamala Harris for $16 million, the company announced late Tuesday.
Paramount, President Trump reach $16 million settlement over '60 Minutes' lawsuit, CBS News, 2025-07-01.Claim 99, checked 2026-09-22. - Paramount maintained the underlying lawsuit was without merit rather than conceding to a stated justification.
has maintained that the lawsuit was completely without merit
Paramount, President Trump reach $16 million settlement over '60 Minutes' lawsuit, CBS News, 2025-07-01.Claim 9, checked 2026-09-22. - The settlement obligates 60 Minutes to publish transcripts of future presidential-candidate interviews, subject to redactions.
Paramount also agreed that "60 Minutes" will release transcripts of interviews with presidential candidates in the future, "subject to redactions as required for legal or national security concerns," the statement said.
Paramount, President Trump reach $16 million settlement over '60 Minutes' lawsuit, CBS News, 2025-07-01.Claim 100, checked 2026-09-22. - The lawsuit concluded with the $16 million settlement.
CBS News' parent company worked with a mediator to resolve the lawsuit. Under the agreement, $16 million will be allocated to Mr. Trump's future presidential library and the plaintiffs' fees and costs.
Paramount, President Trump reach $16 million settlement over '60 Minutes' lawsuit, CBS News, 2025-07-01.Claim 101, checked 2026-09-22.