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Trump amends CBS ’60 Minutes’ lawsuit and demands $20 billion

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In simpler terms, President Trump has made changes to his legal action against CBS, asking for a monetary compensation of $20 billion and reiterating that the network manipulated an interview on “60 Minutes” featuring former Vice President Kamala Harris with the intention of boosting her electoral prospects.

In a recent court filing on Friday, Donald Trump increased his requested damages by double the original amount. The revised lawsuit now names CBS’ parent company, Paramount Global, as a defendant and adds Congressman Ronny Jackson, Trump’s former physician, as an additional plaintiff due to his residence in Texas where the case was initiated.

In simpler terms, Trump’s revised submission aims to shift the focus of the case from First Amendment issues. According to Trump, the case shouldn’t rely on freedom of speech claims, as CBS is said to have had commercial reasons for making Harris seem more robust in their reporting.

On Saturday, CBS chose not to provide a response. They have consistently maintained that they did not misleadingly manipulate the Harris interview.

Two days after the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released uncommon transcripts and raw footage from ’60 Minutes’ interviews with Harris, an amended complaint was submitted. This week, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, appointed by Trump, launched a separate investigation into potential news manipulation at CBS, in response to a complaint lodged last fall by the conservative nonprofit Center for American Rights.

The unedited interview footage confirmed CBS’ account that Harris had been quoted accurately.

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Donald Trump has initiated a lawsuit for approximately ten billion dollars, claiming that CBS dishonestly edited an interview with Vice President Kamala Harris. Following their submission of the material to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), CBS made the transcripts and footage publicly available.

I was invited by CBS News for a sit-down with “60 Minutes,” and I agreed to an interview. However, Trump decided to back out after initially accepting the invitation. Despite this change, CBS News proceeded with my interview during the final weeks of the presidential campaign, conducted by their correspondent Bill Whitaker.

The debate about the revisions became apparent following Trump supporters’ focus on varying responses that Harris provided when asked about Israel.

In a clip of the interview broadcast on “Face the Nation,” Harris gave a wordy response.

When the interview ran on “60 Minutes,” her answer was more forceful and succinct.

In a statement last fall, CBS clarified that while their answers might remain consistent, they always endeavor to present varied responses for clarity, accuracy, and relevance. This applies to all interviewees, whether politicians, athletes, or celebrities.

CBS defended the edits again this week amid the newly opened FCC inquiry.

When it comes to editing our content, ’60 Minutes’ adheres to truthfulness and strives to provide the public with the most informative material possible, while still meeting the requirements of broadcast television,” the network declared on Wednesday.

However, in the revised court case, Trump’s legal team alleged that Harris is facing difficulties as a less formidable contender and has a tendency to speak in confusing ways, often referred to as “word salads” – meaningless collections of words.

According to the Trump lawsuit, CBS intentionally altered the interview to make Harris seem logical and assertive, which they did to make the program more attractive and marketable to their viewers.

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Brendan Carr’s actions as FCC Chair raise concerns about President Trump potentially using his authority to intimidate media outlets that are critical of him.

In my humble opinion as a film critic, back in December, legal representatives from CBS petitioned the judge to either dismiss the Trump case altogether or relocate it to New York City – a location that happens to be CBS’s home base. You see, the show in question was edited right here in the Big Apple, and as for our main subject, Donald Trump, he was a resident of sunny Florida when the lawsuit was initially filed.

However, Trump initiated the legal action in Amarillo, Texas, before a judge whom he appointed. By listing Jackson, a Texan, as a co-plaintiff, his team contended that the congressman suffered harm from the “60 Minutes” broadcast and that the case should stay within Texas jurisdiction.

The debate surrounding the sale of Paramount Global has hindered Shari Redstone’s intentions to sell Paramount and her family’s holding company to David Ellison and Skydance Media, with the aim of finalizing their $8-billion merger by April. However, the process has been slow due to disagreements on both sides.

Redstone and her family would walk away with about $1.75 billion.

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David Ellison, a well-known figure in technology, will take charge of Paramount Studios through his company Skydance Media. This move signals the conclusion of the Redstone family’s control over the legendary production house.

It’s been reported by sources who aren’t permitted to speak publicly that Redstone is encouraging her team to resolve the lawsuit with Trump. The billionaire is eager to finalize the merger. Additionally, she has previously voiced disappointment towards “60 Minutes” regarding a recent story about Gaza.

Inside the company, the settlement talks have been divisive.

1) Journalists are standing firm, urging Paramount’s executives to show strength and uphold CBS News’ constitutional rights under the First Amendment. According to informed sources, there have been initial negotiations between Paramount’s officials and Trump’s team regarding a potential settlement.

A recent article in the New York Post indicates that Trump’s negotiating group, which includes Donald Trump Jr., is aiming to secure up to $100 million in a settlement with Paramount. This amount is approximately six times greater than what Walt Disney Co. agreed to pay in December to resolve a defamation lawsuit. The lawsuit stemmed from statements made by ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos, who incorrectly claimed that Trump was found guilty of raping writer E. Jean Carroll. However, it’s important to note that Trump was actually found liable for sexual abuse, not rape.

The proposed merge between Paramount and Skydance requires the endorsement of the FCC’s Carr, as it entails the relocation of CBS stations’ broadcasting permits to the Ellison family.

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2025-02-09 02:32

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