Paramount To Pay $16 Mln To Settle Lawsuit By Trump Over Interview With Kamala Harris

(RTTNews) - Media firm Paramount Global has agreed to pay $16 million to settle a legal dispute with U.S. President Donald Trump, over its '60 Minutes' interview with former Vice President Kamala Harris, reports said. The interview was broadcast on Paramount's affiliated CBS network last year, ahead of the 2024 Presidential election.

Trump had filed a lawsuit last October in the Northern District of Texas seeking $20 billion in damages, after alleging that the network had deceptively edited the interview with Harris, then Vice President and the Democratic Presidential nominee, to be in favour of the Democratic party.

Paramount reportedly agreed to settle the lawsuit with the help of a mediator, and the payment includes the President's legal fees. The money would be allocated to Trump's future Presidential library, and not paid to him directly or indirectly.

Meanwhile, the company, which previously asked the judge to dismiss the lawsuit saying its completely without merit, is not issuing a statement of apology or regret under the settlement.

Paramount reportedly said, "The settlement will include a release of all claims regarding any CBS reporting through the date of the settlement, including the Texas action and the threatened defamation action."

Paramount also agreed that 60 Minutes will release transcripts of interviews with future Presidential candidates.

The developments are not expected to affect Paramount's planned merger with Skydance Media.

Earlier, Walt Disney-owned ABC News had settled a defamation case brought by Trump.