Kamala Harris interview settlement: Paramount to pay $16 million in Trump defamation case
[New York, July 2, 2025] — U.S. media giant Paramount Global has agreed to a $16 million settlement in a defamation lawsuit filed by President Donald Trump. The case centered around a CBS 60 Minutes interview with Vice President Kamala Harris aired in October 2024, which Trump’s team labeled as biased and misleading.
Settlement terms
Paramount clarified that the $16 million will not be paid directly to President Trump, but rather allocated to the fund for his future presidential library. The company also emphasized that it did not issue any apology or admission of wrongdoing.
Case background
Trump originally filed a $10 billion lawsuit against CBS in October 2023, alleging that Harris’s interview was deliberately edited to portray her as inconsistent in her statements regarding the Israel-Hamas war. In February 2024, Trump amended the lawsuit, increasing the damages sought to $20 billion.
CBS had filed for dismissal from the outset, arguing that the aired portions of the interview were edited as per standard procedures across two episodes.
Legal and political implications
Trump’s legal team based the case on Texas’s consumer protection laws, which prohibit the commercial dissemination of false or deceptive information.
However, the case sparked controversy over press freedom, as under U.S. constitutional law, defamation lawsuits against media outlets must prove intentional or reckless publication of falsehoods.
Broader corporate context
This settlement comes as Paramount seeks to finalize an $8.4 billion merger with Skydance Media. The deal requires approval from the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC), making Paramount particularly sensitive to public and political perception.
Other settlements involving Trump
Paramount’s move is seen as a strategic response similar to other media companies settling lawsuits brought by Trump.
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In December 2023, Disney-owned ABC News paid $15 million and issued a public apology after host George Stephanopoulos falsely claimed Trump had been convicted of rape.
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In January 2024, Meta Platforms (owner of Facebook and Instagram) settled with Trump for $25 million over the suspension of his accounts following the January 6 Capitol riot.
More lawsuits to come
Trump has signaled that more lawsuits are imminent. Among them is one targeting the Des Moines Register over a poll showing Kamala Harris leading Trump in Iowa. He labeled the poll “fraudulent and misleading” and has filed for an injunction to stop its publication.
Although originally filed in federal court, Trump withdrew the case on June 30 and refiled it in Iowa state court.
