Paramount Global, the parent company of CBS News, has offered President Donald Trump $15 million to settle a lawsuit that alleged the network’s “60 Minutes” news program deceitfully edited an interview with former Vice President Kamala Harris to make her sound better.
But the president’s legal team wants more than $25 million and is also seeking an apology from CBS News, The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday, citing people familiar with the situation. Trump’s legal team has threatened another lawsuit against CBS related to alleged bias of its news coverage, the Journal reported. Wednesday was the deadline for Trump to respond to Paramount’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit.
The parties have discussed a tentative mediation session set for Thursday, the Journal reported, adding that Shari Redstone, Paramount’s controlling shareholder, has recused herself from negotiations with Trump’s legal team because she is a supporter of the president.
Redstone also is seeking approval from the Trump administration on a multibillion-dollar sale of her company to a Hollywood studio Skydance, the Journal reported.
Last week, CBS News CEO Wendy McMahon reportedly told staff she is leaving the network. A point of tension between McMahon and Paramount was her unwillingness to apologize to Trump as part of any settlement of the lawsuit.
A sticking point in the negotiations for Paramount executives has been whether a settlement could expose directors and officers to liability in potential future shareholder litigation or criminal charges for bribing a public official, the Journal reported, citing people familiar with the conversations. By settling within the range of what other companies have paid to end litigation with Trump, some Paramount executives hope to minimize such liability, some of the people said.
Disney in December settled a defamation lawsuit against ABC News and anchor George Stephanopoulos by contributing $15 million to Trump’s presidential foundation or museum and to pay $1 million in legal fees to Trump’s attorney. Stephanopoulos said on air that Trump had been found civilly liable for raping writer E. Jean Carroll. A New York jury determined Trump was liable for sexual abuse.
In January, Meta agreed to pay $25 million to settle a 2021 lawsuit from Trump after the social-media platform suspended his accounts following the events of Jan. 6, 2021, at the U.S. Capitol. In February, X agreed to pay about $10 million to settle a similar suit, according to the Journal.
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