President Donald Trump escalates his legal battle against CBS, doubling his lawsuit to $20 billion and expanding it to include Paramount Global over alleged manipulation of a “60 Minutes” interview with Vice President Kamala Harris.
At a Glance
- Trump increases lawsuit against CBS to $20 billion, adding Paramount Global as a defendant
- Lawsuit claims CBS edited Harris’s “60 Minutes” interview to make her appear more articulate
- FCC reopens news distortion complaint against CBS following the lawsuit
- Trump accuses CBS of election interference and fraud, demanding shutdown of CBS News and ’60 Minutes’
- CBS defends its editorial practices, stating edits were standard journalistic procedure
Trump Expands Lawsuit, Alleges Media Manipulation
President Donald Trump has significantly escalated his legal confrontation with CBS News, increasing his lawsuit to $20 billion and extending it to include Paramount Global. The expanded lawsuit, filed on February 7 at the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, centers on allegations of intentional manipulation in the editing of a “60 Minutes” interview with Vice President Kamala Harris.
The lawsuit claims that CBS edited Harris’s interview to make her appear more articulate, which Trump argues diverted viewership from his platform, Truth Social. This alleged manipulation, according to Trump’s legal team, misled the viewing public and adversely impacted Trump’s media interests.
Allegations of Election Interference and Fraud
Trump’s accusations against CBS are severe, ranging from news distortion to outright election interference. The President has not minced words in his criticism of the network’s actions.
“CBS and 60 Minutes defrauded the public by doing something which has never, to this extent, been seen before,” President Trump said.
The lawsuit further alleges that CBS’s actions amount to “Election changing ‘stuff,’ Election Interference and, quite simply, Election Fraud at a level never seen before.” These strong allegations underscore the seriousness with which Trump and his team are pursuing this legal action.
FCC Involvement and Broader Implications
The lawsuit has attracted attention beyond the courtroom. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has reopened a news distortion complaint against CBS, initially dismissed but revived by FCC Chairman Brendan Carr. This development adds a regulatory dimension to the case, potentially impacting how news organizations handle interview editing in the future.
“CBS played the same question on two different programs and clearly the words of the answers were very different,” Brendan Carr said.
However, not all FCC commissioners agree with this approach. Democrat FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez has criticized the move, suggesting it could be seen as an attempt to intimidate the media. This divergence of opinions within the FCC itself highlights the complex nature of the case and its potential ramifications for media freedom and regulation.
CBS’s Defense and Industry Reaction
In response to these allegations, CBS has stood firm, dismissing the claims and asserting that the edits made to the Harris interview were standard journalistic practice. The network maintains that its editorial decisions were made in accordance with normal broadcasting procedures.
The case has created a stir within CBS and its parent company, Paramount Global. Reports suggest that CBS staff are against settling the lawsuit, fearing that a mandated apology could compromise their journalistic integrity. However, some Paramount executives are reportedly considering settlement to improve chances of a merger approval with Skydance, highlighting the potential business implications of this legal battle.
