Paramount considers settlement in Trump’s $20 billion ‘60 Minutes’ lawsuit, NYT reports

The board of Paramount, which owns CBS News, has reportedly set financial terms for a possible settlement with US President Donald Trump over his “60 Minutes” lawsuit. The New York Times shared this update on Tuesday, citing sources familiar with the matter.

Legal experts have dismissed the lawsuit as baseless, predicting an easy win for CBS. However, Paramount is approaching negotiations with a willingness to strike a deal.

While the precise financial terms remain unclear, the board’s decision clears the way for a potential out-of-court settlement, according to The New York Times.

‘60 Minutes’ reporter says ‘none of us is happy’

“60 Minutes” correspondent Scott Pelley paid tribute Sunday to Bill Owens, the program’s executive producer who resigned last week. Speaking at the close of CBS News’ telecast, Pelley said, “none of us is happy” about the added corporate oversight now being imposed on the show. Owens — just the third executive producer in the iconic broadcast’s 57-year history — stepped down, citing a loss of editorial independence. Pelley said Owens proved he was “the right person for the job” by standing up for journalistic integrity.

CBS News’ parent company, Paramount Global, is in the midst of a merger with Skydance Media that needs the approval of the Trump administration. Trump has sued “60 Minutes” for $20 billion, saying it unfairly edited a Kamala Harris interview last fall to her advantage. Owens and others at “60 Minutes” believe they did nothing wrong and have opposed any settlement.

Meanwhile, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chair Brendan Carr said “all options remain on the table” in an ongoing investigation into the Harris interview. Earlier this month, Carr rejected CBS’s request to dismiss a complaint alleging the segment violated the FCC’s “news distortion” rules, according to Reuters. Earlier this month, Trump again attacked “60 Minutes,” saying it aired two inaccurate stories about him and pressed Carr to take action.

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