US media company, Paramount Global, has agreed to pay $16 million (£13.5m) as a settlement over a legal dispute with President Donald Trump regarding an interview broadcast on CBS with former Vice President, Kamala Harris.
Recall that Trump filed a lawsuit last October, alleging the network had deceptively edited an interview that aired on its 60 Minutes news programme with Harris, to “tip the scales in favour of the Democratic party”.
Paramount said it would pay to settle the suit, but with the money allocated to Trump’s future presidential library, not paid to him “directly or indirectly” and also noted the settlement does not include a statement of apology or regret.
Trump sued, originally claiming $10bn (£8.5bn), but that figure was later increased to $20bn ($17bn) for damages.
In May this year, the company offered $15m (12.7m) to settle the suit, but Trump wanted more than $25m (£21m).
In a statement released on Tuesday, Paramount confirmed the settlement fee included the president’s legal fees and that it had agreed that 60 Minutes would release transcripts of interviews with future presidential candidates.
CBS, which is owned by Paramount, previously said the case was “completely without merit” and had asked a judge to dismiss it.
The settlement marks the latest concession by a US media company to a president who has targeted outlets over what he describes as false or misleading coverage.
According to the lawsuit filed in federal court in Texas, CBS aired two versions of the Harris interview in which she appeared to give different answers to the same question about the Israel-Gaza war.
In the interview, Harris was asked about the Biden administration’s relationship with Israel. The network later aired two different versions of her response, according to the claim.
One clip aired on Face the Nation and the other on 60 Minutes.
Trump claimed Harris’s “word salad” answer had been deceptively edited in one version to shield her from backlash.
A spokesman for Trump’s legal team said the settlement was “another win for the American people as he, once again, holds the Fake News media accountable for their wrongdoing and deceit.”
He added that CBS and Paramount “realised the strength of this historic case.”
CBS has said the broadcast was “not doctored or deceitful”.
(BBC)
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