President Donald Trump turned down a $15 million offer to settle his lawsuit against CBS News over its editing of a “60 Minutes” interview with former Vice President Kamala Harris in the lead-up to the 2024 presidential election, The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday.
The figure, however, did not seem to be high enough for the president, who reportedly is seeking a settlement deal of over $25 million as well as an apology from CBS News, the Journal said, citing a source familiar with the situation. Trump also has threatened to launch another lawsuit against CBS, pointing to alleged bias in its reporting, the newspaper added.
Trump sued CBS last year for $20 billion, alleging that the newsmagazine had deceptively edited its interview with Harris in October 2024 — an allegation vehemently denied by the show. Legal experts have also dubbed the case meritless.
While people within the newsroom reportedly opposed the idea of a settlement, Shari Redstone, the controlling shareholder of Paramount Global, CBS’ parent company, is in favor of reaching an agreement with Trump over concerns that the dispute could block the company’s merger with Skydance, which awaits regulatory approval. Redstone reportedly has recused herself from negotiations with Trump’s team.
