Paramount executives are reportedly on the verge of a settlement with President Trump to resolve accusations that CBS’s “60 Minutes” deceptively edited an interview with former Vice President Kamala Harris last year to bolster her presidential campaign.
The proposal—slated for discussion at Wednesday’s inaugural mediation between both parties—reflects the studio’s urgency to end Trump’s $20 billion lawsuit. Sources say that during an April 18 meeting, Paramount outlined potential financial terms, though the exact figures remain undisclosed; a deal would allow both sides to move to dismiss the case.
Shari Redstone, Paramount’s non-executive chair and majority shareholder, has indicated she prefers settling rather than enduring a protracted, high-profile legal battle. Meanwhile, Paramount is pursuing an $8 billion acquisition by Skydance—subject to federal approval—that would also represent a substantial payout for Redstone.
Scott Pelley, the longtime host of CBS’ “60 Minutes,” went on a rant Sunday denouncing the network’s parent company, somewhat foolishly, after Paramount’s pledge to take a more active role in the stories his team reports and suggested the pending merger played a role. “Our parent company, Paramount, is trying to complete a merger. The Trump administration must approve it. Paramount began to supervise our content in new ways,” he whined while attempting an explanation rgarding the decision of the show’s longtime executive producer to resign in protest earlier this month.
According to sources cited by the New York Times, the CBS News division was unsettled by Paramount’s decision to yield to pressure from the Trump administration—an administration that has threatened other outlets with lawsuits, funding cuts, or the revocation of broadcast licenses. In December, ABC News agreed to a $16 million settlement in Trump’s defamation suit after George Stephanopoulos incorrectly reported that a judge had found the president guilty of rape in the E. Jean Carroll case.
Insiders say Trump’s recent public attacks on “60 Minutes” segments alarmed Redstone. She subsequently asked Paramount co-CEO George Cheeks for regular briefings on politically sensitive stories, following Trump’s criticism of the program’s coverage of his interest in acquiring Greenland.