In a stunning victory for media accountability, CBS and Paramount Global have been forced to pay former President Donald Trump a massive eight-figure settlement—$16 million upfront, with potential payouts exceeding $30 million—after a bombshell lawsuit exposed their blatant manipulation of a 60 Minutes interview with Vice President Kamala Harris. The settlement, announced Tuesday, marks a historic moment in the fight against the liberal media’s dishonest tactics, which have long been used to shield Democrat politicians from scrutiny while smearing conservatives.
Trump’s $20 billion lawsuit accused CBS of “election interference” by deceptively editing Harris’ interview to make her appear coherent and presidential, despite her well-documented struggles with articulate speech. The lawsuit revealed that 60 Minutes shamelessly spliced and rearranged Harris’ nonsensical answers, replacing her meandering responses with pre-recorded lines to fabricate a polished narrative. This wasn’t journalism—it was propaganda.
The Fraudulent Edit Exposed
The original unedited exchange between Harris and 60 Minutes host Bill Whitaker was a trainwreck:
Kamala Harris: “Well, Bill, the work that we have done has resulted in a number of movements in that region by Israel that were very much prompted by or a result of many things, including our advocacy for what needs to happen in the region.”
Yet, the aired version completely altered her response, inserting a separate sentence to make her sound decisive:
Bill Whitaker: “But it seems that Prime Minister Netanyahu is not listening?”
Kamala Harris (edited): “We are not going to stop pursuing what is necessary for the United States to be clear about where we stand on the need for this war to end.”
This wasn’t just selective editing—it was fraud. CBS took a disjointed, incoherent answer and fabricated a soundbite to protect Harris from embarrassment. Had this been a Republican, the media would have endlessly mocked the gaffe. But for Democrats, the rules don’t apply.
Holy. Shit.
60 Minutes cut Kamala’s nonsense answer on Israel and replaced it with a completely seperate sentence she said earlier in the interview…
Mixing and matching questions and answers. This isn’t journalism. It’s fraud.pic.twitter.com/onXli46xL6
— Geiger Capital (@Geiger_Capital) October 8, 2024
The “Trump Rule” Forces Media Transparency
As part of the settlement, CBS agreed to implement a new editorial policy dubbed the “Trump Rule”—requiring the network to release full, unedited transcripts of all future presidential candidate interviews. This is a major win for transparency, ensuring the liberal media can no longer manipulate footage to prop up failing politicians.
President Trump’s legal team rightfully argued that CBS’s deceptive editing harmed his campaign and misled millions of voters, reinforcing the media’s role as an arm of the Democrat Party. The $16 million payout will cover legal fees and donations to conservative causes, while additional funds will go toward pro-Trump advertisements and public service announcements—ensuring the truth reaches the American people.
This case proves what conservatives have known for years: the so-called “mainstream media” is nothing more than a leftist propaganda machine. From doctored footage to omitted context, outlets like CBS have repeatedly abused their power to manipulate public opinion. But thanks to President Trump’s relentless fight for accountability, the tide is turning.