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’60 Minutes’ shows it’s not scared off by Trump’s lawsuit and threats

BBG News

“60 Minutes” is not going easy on President Trump.

The CBS news program finds itself in a legal dispute with the president due to a contested October interview with Vice President Kamala Harris, which Trump alleges was manipulated in editing for political gain during her presidential campaign. This lawsuit poses complications for the proposed $8 billion sale of CBS News’ parent company, Paramount Global, to Skydance Media.

Despite the lawsuit being initiated back in the fall, “60 Minutes” has consistently pursued its examination of the Trump administration’s policies. This past Sunday was no exception as Scott Pelley reported on how Trump is employing executive orders to challenge law firms he alleges have been misusing the justice system against him.

The potential orders aimed to prohibit lawyers from entering courthouses and federal offices, as well as terminate government contracts associated with the law firms and their respective clients. Some law firms opted to offer pro bono (free) legal assistance for projects endorsed by the president in an effort to evade this order.

According to the targeted companies, what the president approved was essentially a lethal sentence for corporations, Pelley explained in his report.

Marc Elias, an attorney who successfully contested one of Trump’s court cases regarding the 2020 election outcomes, compared the White House’s actions to the tactics of a local crime boss. This comparison suggests that the White House is using intimidation methods similar to those used by a mob boss, either to extort money or engage in questionable activities within their community.

Attorney Brenna Frey, who left her previous firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom in protest, spoke out when the firm struck a deal with Trump to avoid complying with an order.

Frey stated, ‘The impression given is that power is the key factor.’ If one possesses power, they can do as they please with it. This raises questions such as, what’s the point of having a legal system if power allows you to act freely? Why even have law firms or lawyers if power alone decides outcomes?’

Trump didn’t respond on Truth Social to the Sunday episode, a platform where he has been active lately, criticizing the portrayal of his administration’s actions regarding the Russia-Ukraine conflict, budget reductions within the federal government, and his plans for annexing Greenland.

On Truth Social, Trump spent a bustling evening, outlining proposals for imposing a full 100% tariff on foreign-made films and reviving Alcatraz penitentiary as a facility to accommodate the nation’s most merciless and dangerous criminals.

Trump is urging his Federal Communications Commission Chairman, Brendan Carr, to take disciplinary action against CBS and its parent company due to his ongoing dispute with the “60 Minutes” program.

The problem has additionally increased the strain on controlling shareholder Shari Redstone, who has advocated for a resolution to help Paramount’s sale to the Ellison family led by tech tycoon Larry Ellison. Redstone’s perceived accommodation of Trump has ignited strong objections within the company.

Hollywood Inc.

As I concluded my broadcast on Sunday, I acknowledged the departure of our executive producer and mentioned the influence of corporate pressures.

This year, the president increased the requested compensation in his “60 Minutes” lawsuit to a staggering $20 billion early on. His legal team has been trying to divert the case from First Amendment debates and instead argue that “60 Minutes” is a deceitful product that caused harm to Texas viewers.

During a meeting held on April 18th, Paramount’s board consented to the terms for a potential resolution with Trump, as reported by two individuals who are privy to the negotiations and have chosen to remain anonymous.

As a dedicated cinema enthusiast, I’ve just learned that Bill Owens, the executive producer of “60 Minutes,” has stepped down due to escalating corporate pressures on content coverage. In a recent broadcast, Scott Pelley informed viewers about this development, highlighting that journalists like us have been subjected to more corporate supervision because Paramount is eager to secure the Trump administration’s approval for the Skydance deal.

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2025-05-05 21:01

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