US media giant Paramount has agreed to pay $16 million (£11.6m) to settle a lawsuit filed by President Donald Trump over a 2024 interview with former Vice President Kamala Harris, which he alleged was deceptively edited to mislead voters.
The interview aired on CBS News’ 60 Minutes—a programme owned by Paramount—during last year’s election campaign and has been at the centre of a legal and political storm over media ethics and free speech.
While Paramount denied any wrongdoing, the company opted for settlement as it seeks approval from Mr Trump’s administration for its proposed merger with Skydance Media.
Notably, the agreement involves no apology or admission of fault.
According to Mr Trump’s legal team, the editing of the Harris interview caused the president “mental anguish” and misled voters by broadcasting two apparently contradictory answers from Harris on separate CBS shows.
CBS maintains that both clips were taken from a single, lengthy response and were edited for clarity. It had previously dismissed the lawsuit as “completely without merit.”
The $16 million payment will not go to Mr Trump personally but will be directed to his future presidential library.
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The settlement follows a similar case in December, when ABC News paid $15 million to settle a defamation suit over remarks by host George Stephanopoulos.
The latest case has drawn sharp criticism from media freedom advocates.
The Freedom of the Press Foundation, a Paramount shareholder, previously warned it would file its own lawsuit if a settlement was reached, citing concerns about press independence and editorial freedom.
