Paramount, a US media group, has agreed to pay $16m (£11.6m) to settle a lawsuit filed by Donald Trump regarding a perceived misleading interview with former vice president Kamala Harris. The case, centered around a CBS News feature owned by Paramount, has sparked controversy as it challenges free speech.
Despite seeking resolution with Mr. Trump, Paramount’s settlement did not include an apology, as the company requires approval from his administration for a proposed merger with Skydance Media. Trump’s lawyer alleged that the president experienced «mental anguish» due to the editing of the interview aired on CBS News’ 60 Minutes during the election campaign in October.
The $16m settlement will be allocated to Trump’s future presidential library, not directly to the 79-year-old American leader. Paramount and CBS refuted Trump’s claims that the interview was edited to portray Ms. Harris favorably, leading to the dismissal of the lawsuit.
Trump, who declined to be interviewed by 60 Minutes during the campaign, objected to clips showing Ms. Harris providing different answers to an inquiry from interviewer Bill Whitaker. The edited clips were broadcast on 60 Minutes and Face The Nation, with CBS explaining that both responses were part of a longer answer edited for brevity.
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Trump’s lawyer argued that the edited interview caused confusion and misled voters. Advocates for press freedom and CBS journalists closely monitored the case, with CBS lawyers deeming the lawsuit «completely without merit» and vowing to contest it.
The Freedom of the Press Foundation, a media advocacy group claiming to be a Paramount shareholder, pledged to file a lawsuit in protest if a settlement was reached. In a similar case, ABC News settled a defamation lawsuit with the president, agreeing to pay $15m (£10.9m) towards Trump’s presidential library following statements made by presenter George Stephanopoulos.