Should Trump drop it?
On Thursday, Paramount Global filed a motion to dismiss former President Donald Trump’s $20 billion lawsuit against CBS News, aiming to end the high-profile legal dispute over the network’s handling of a “60 Minutes” interview. Trump claims that CBS engaged in election interference, arguing the network’s deceptive editing of a segment featuring then-Vice President Kamala Harris in the weeks leading up to the 2020 election served to benefit Harris and hurt his campaign.
In court documents, Paramount contended that Trump’s lawsuit was improperly filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas. The company emphasized that neither Paramount nor CBS has ties to Texas and that the interview in question wasn’t filmed or produced there. Paramount argues that the case should not be heard in Texas, as the interview wasn’t connected to the state in any meaningful way. The company pointed out that CBS is based in New York, and its operations have no significant presence in Texas, making the venue and jurisdiction inappropriate.
Moreover, Paramount asserted that the lawsuit is a direct attack on the First Amendment, arguing that it seeks to punish CBS for exercising its constitutionally protected editorial judgment. According to the filing, Trump’s lawsuit demands the network be held liable for simply editing the interview, something that is well within the bounds of free speech and editorial discretion. Paramount’s filing made it clear that public officials cannot dictate how news organizations operate or force them to air content that fits their preferred narrative.
Trump’s legal team, however, remains firm in its position. Trump’s attorney, Ed Paltzik, responded to the filing, asserting that CBS’s actions amounted to “the worst kind of election interference” and that they were designed to deceive voters during the crucial final days of the election. He reaffirmed Trump’s commitment to holding the media accountable for what he believes was biased and misleading reporting.
This legal battle stems from a “60 Minutes” interview with Harris, in which her response to a question about Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu appeared to differ depending on the clip being aired. In the preview that aired on “Face the Nation,” Harris gave a rambling and evasive answer, while a more concise version aired in the primetime special. Critics, particularly conservatives, accused CBS of manipulating the content to protect Harris from negative scrutiny.
The situation intensified when FCC Chairman Brendan Carr ordered CBS News to provide the unedited footage, following a complaint about potential violations of the FCC’s “news distortion” policy. This investigation is further complicated by CBS’s parent company, Paramount Global, considering a merger with Skydance Media. Sources suggest Paramount is eager to settle the lawsuit in order to avoid any backlash from the Trump administration’s FCC, which has the power to block significant corporate transactions.
While Trump is pursuing the case aggressively, the prospect of a settlement looms, which could mark yet another legal victory for the former president, who has already secured multimillion-dollar settlements with other media companies like ABC News, Meta, and X.