Trump and CBS in ‘Advanced' Settlement Talks in ‘60 Minutes' Case as Deal Appears Close
The parties requested a stay in all proceedings in the case until Thursday, July 3, suggesting that a settlement could come soon.
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'The Parties respectfully submit that good cause to stay all proceedings exists because the Parties are engaged in good faith, advanced, settlement negotiations,' the motion states.
Trump is suing the network for $20 billion, claiming that the news show misleadingly edited an interview with Harris during the campaign last fall. CBS has reportedly offered as much as $15 million to settle the case, which its own attorneys have said is a 'meritless assault on the First Amendment.'
The parties previously reported they were in 'active' settlement negotiations. Trump and Rep. Ronny Jackson sued under the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act, which outlaws consumer fraud. They have also alleged that CBS unfairly competed with Truth Social, the president's social network, by offering an edited version of the Harris interview.
The Wall Street Journal reported last week that a mediator proposed a $20 million settlement, with $17 million of that going to Trump's presidential foundation. Trump has also sought an apology.
The settlement discussions have already caused internal turmoil at CBS, as two top executives — Wendy McMahon and Bill Owens — departed the network.
In April, CBS filed a motion to compel discovery related to Trump's claims. The plaintiffs were given until June 30 to respond, but now both parties are seeking to suspend all deadlines at least until Thursday.
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News24
8 minutes ago
- News24
Hamas says it's discussing proposals after Trump Gaza ceasefire push
Hamas is discussing a ceasefire proposal mediated by Egypt and Qatar, with support from Donald Trump, to address the Gaza conflict. Israeli airstrikes in Gaza continue to kill civilians, including children, amid worsening humanitarian conditions in the region. Trump stated that Israel supports a 60-day ceasefire and urged Hamas to finalise the deal to end the war. Palestinian militant group Hamas said on Wednesday it was discussing proposals for a Gaza ceasefire received from mediators, after US President Donald Trump said Israel backed a 60-day ceasefire in the war-ravaged territory. Nearly 21 months of war have created dire humanitarian conditions for the more than two million people in the Gaza Strip, where Israel has recently expanded its military operations against Hamas militants. The civil defence agency said Israeli forces killed at least 33 people on Wednesday. Trump urged Hamas on Tuesday to accept a 60-day ceasefire, saying Israel had agreed to finalise such a deal. The Israeli government has not commented on that claim. Hamas said in a statement on Wednesday it was "conducting national consultations to discuss what we received from the proposals of the... mediators". READ | Israel steps up campaign in Gaza ahead of Netanyahu's US visit It said it aimed "to reach an agreement that guarantees ending the aggression, achieving the withdrawal (of Israel from Gaza) and urgently aiding our people in the Gaza Strip". Without directly mentioning Trump's remarks, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said that "a large majority within the government and the population is in favour" of a deal to free hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. "If the opportunity arises, it must not be missed!" Saar wrote on X. Out of 251 hostages seized by Palestinian militants during Hamas' 2023 attack that triggered the war, 49 are still held in Gaza, including 27 the Israeli military says are dead. Abed Rahim Khatib/Anadolu via Getty Images On the ground in southern Gaza, civil defence spokesperson Mahmud Bassal told AFP that five members of the same family were killed in an Israeli air strike on Wednesday that hit a tent housing displaced people in the Al-Mawasi area. Despite being declared a safe zone by Israel in December 2023, Al-Mawasi has been hit by repeated Israeli strikes. Children covered in blood AFP footage from the area showed makeshift tents blown apart as Palestinians picked through the wreckage, trying to salvage what was left of their belongings. One man held a pack of nappies, asking: "Is this a weapon?" Another resident, Maha Abu Rizq, against a backdrop of destruction, said: They came here thinking it was a safe area and they were killed... What did they do? AFP footage from nearby Khan Yunis city showed infants covered in blood being rushed into Nasser Hospital. One man carrying a child whose face was smeared with blood screamed: "Children, children!" Some appeared terrified while others lay still on hospital beds in bloodied bandages and clothes as medics treated them. Further north, Bassal said four people from the same family were killed in a pre-dawn Israeli air strike on a house in Gaza City, and another five in a drone strike on a house in the central Deir el-Balah area. Bassal later reported seven killed in a strike in Gaza City, five more killed by Israeli army fire near an aid distribution site close to the southern city of Rafah, and a further death following Israeli fire near an aid site in the centre of the territory. They are the latest in a string of deadly incidents that have hit people waiting for food. Bassal said a further four people were killed in an air strike on a tent for displaced people southwest of Gaza City and two in an air strike on a school housing displaced people in Gaza City's Zeitun neighbourhood. Media restrictions in Gaza and difficulties in accessing many areas mean AFP is unable to independently verify the tolls and details provided by rescuers. Contacted by AFP, the Israeli military said it "is operating to dismantle Hamas military capabilities" in line with "international law, and takes feasible precautions to mitigate civilian harm". On Tuesday, the military said that in recent days its forces had expanded operations across Gaza. Ceasefire push After months of stalled mediation efforts to bring an end to the war, Trump said on social media on Tuesday that a new ceasefire push has Israel's support. "Israel has agreed to the necessary conditions to finalise the 60 Day CEASEFIRE, during which time we will work with all parties to end the War," Trump said. He added that Qatari and Egyptian mediators, who have been in direct contact with Hamas throughout the war, would deliver "this final proposal". I hope, for the good of the Middle East, that Hamas takes this Deal, because it will not get better - IT WILL ONLY GET WORSE. Trump is due to host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House next week. Israel launched its offensive in response to Hamas' 7 October 2023 attack, which resulted in the deaths of 1 219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures. Israel's retaliatory military campaign has killed at least 57 012 people in Gaza, also mostly civilians, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry. The United Nations considers its figures reliable.
Forbes
10 minutes ago
- Forbes
Trump's War On The Media Explained: Paramount Settles With Trump
Paramount, CBS News' parent company, said it will pay $16 million to settle a lawsuit President Donald Trump filed against the network, claiming it deceptively edited an interview with Vice President Kamala Harris to cast her in a more positive light. President Donald Trump speaks to reporters before boarding Air Force One in Morristown, New Jersey, ... More on April 27, 2025. (Photo by MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images Paramount said Tuesday it would settle the lawsuit by paying Trump $16 million for his future presidential library and his legal fees. The lawsuit is among a series of moves by Trump and his administration targeting media he views unfavorably. In addition to lawsuits Trump and his companies have filed against his media foes, his administration has elevated partisan right-wing voices in the White House press corps and sought to effectively shut down federally funded media outlets, including the international broadcaster Voice of America, among other tactics. Trump's new FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr also launched investigations into several outlets and warned publicly that a probe into CBS' interview with Harris last year could affect the network's pending multi-billion-dollar merger. Trump has also amped up his rhetoric to attack the press, calling pollsters for the New York Times, ABC News, the Washington Post and Fox News 'negative criminals' who should be 'investigated for ELECTION FRAUD' after the outlets have published surveys in the past week that show he has net negative approval ratings. Get Forbes Breaking News Text Alerts: We're launching text message alerts so you'll always know the biggest stories shaping the day's headlines. Text 'Alerts' to (201) 335-0739 or sign up here . Trump—who has feuded with CBS for years—sued the network for $20 billion, claiming it deceptively edited its '60 Minutes' interview with Harris after the network in a preview of her interview aired a different version of Harris' answer to a question than the one shown in the full program. In the preview, Harris gave a longer answer in response to a question about the Israel-Hamas war than the one aired during the full show. The network later released a full transcript of the interview that showed it ran the first sentence of her answer in the preview and the last sentence during the show, though the meaning of her response was largely the same. Trump is suing CBS as its parent company, Paramount, is seeking the Federal Communications Commission's approval of a multi-billion-dollar merger with Skydance. Trump urged the FCC to revoke the network's broadcasting license last month over '60 Minutes' coverage of him, and FCC Chairman Brendan Carr has warned that the deceptive-editing allegations against CBS could become a factor in the FCC review of the merger. Meanwhile, Paramount and Trump began mediation talks earlier this month as Paramount owner Shari Redstone wants to settle with Trump, The New York Times reported, citing unnamed sources. The lawsuit has led to accusations from journalists that Paramount leadership has meddled in coverage of Trump, compromising their integrity. Wendy McMahon, president of CBS News and Stations, said she would step down Monday following a 'challenging' few months in which she and the company did 'not agree on the path forward,' ostensibly referring to the settlement talks. Longtime '60 Minutes' producer Bill Owens also left his post in April, citing waning editorial independence. Trump reportedly wants $25 million or more and an apology to settle the lawsuit, the Wall street Journal reported this week, citing an unnamed source. The Federal Trade Commission opened a probe in May into the liberal advocacy group, Media Matters for America, and whether it coordinated with other watchdogs to deter companies from advertising on Elon Musk's X, according to multiple reports. Musk is also suing Media Matters for defamation over a report it published about antisemitic content on X. Media Matters president Angela Carusone told Forbes in response to the probe 'the Trump administration has been defined by naming right-wing media figures to key posts and abusing the power of the federal government to bully political opponents and silence critics. It's clear that's exactly what's happening here, given Media Matters' history of holding those same figures to account. These threats won't work; we remain steadfast to our mission." Trump Tries To Dismantle The Corporation For Public Broadcasting The House voted last month to rescind $1.1 billion in funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, part of a larger $9.4 billion 'rescissions' request to Congress that also asks lawmakers to retract $8.3 billion in funding for the U.S. Agency for International Development. PBS sued Trump to block him from cutting funding for the public television station, days after NPR also filed a lawsuit to stop the move. Trump signed an order May 2 directing the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to cease funding NPR and PBS. The FCC also said it's opened investigations into NPR and PBS and whether they aired 'announcements that cross the line into prohibited commercial advertisements,' Carr said in a letter to the organizations in January. Carr said the investigation could factor into Congress' decision on whether to continue funding the organizations. NPR said in a statement in a news article about the threat that the funding cut 'would have a devastating impact on American communities across the nation,' adding that 'locally owned public media stations represent a proud American tradition of public-private partnership for our shared common good.' PBS CEO and President Paual Kerger told NPR the move would 'disrupt the essential service PBS and local member stations provide to the American people.' On April 29, the CPB sought a temporary restraining order to prevent Trump from removing three board members—two appointed by Biden and one appointed by Trump during his first term then reappointed by Biden—arguing the law that established the organization allows Trump to appoint board members, but not fire them. Reshaping The Fcc Carr has opened numerous investigations into media organizations and has echoed Trump's critical rhetoric of news coverage. 'We must dismantle the censorship cartel and restore free speech rights for everyday Americans,' Carr tweeted prior to his appointment as FCC chair. He also warned that 'broadcast licenses are not sacred cows,' suggesting the commission could revoke licenses for companies that don't 'operate in the public interest,' and he threatened that the FCC could block merger proposals from companies that promote DEI. In addition to the NPR and PBS probes, Carr has announced investigations into Comcast's diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and a San Francisco-based radio station's coverage of an immigration raid. Comcast said in a statement to the New York Post in response to the probe that it would cooperate with the investigation and built the company 'on a foundation of integrity and respect for all of our employees and customers.' The FCC doesn't distribute and can't revoke licenses for entire networks and instead oversees licensing for their affiliated local broadcast channels. Cable networks, such as CNN and MSNBC, are not within its jurisdiction since they don't broadcast on public airwaves. Stations could fight any attempt to revoke their licenses in court, and laws that dictate their regulatory authority would make it highly unlikely, if not impossible, to pull a station's license. The FCC is prohibited, for example, from 'engaging in censorship or infringing on First Amendment rights of the press.' Licensing and merger decisions require the approval of the full commission, which is made up of the chair and four members appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate for five-year terms. One of the commission's two Democrats, Geoffrey Starks, announced last month he would resign this spring, and a third Republican seat is vacant. Trump Has Tried To De-Fund Voice Of America About one-third of Voice of America's workforce was terminated earlier this month, Kari Lake, senior adviser for the organization's parent company, the U.S. Agency for Global Media, told multiple outlets in a statement that said 'buckle up, there's more to come.' The move comes after Lake—a special adviser to the U.S. Agency for Global Media, parent company for international broadcaster Voice of America—announced a 'partnership' earlier this month with the conservative One America News Network to broadcast its programs on USAGM networks, including the Office of Cuba Broadcasting, Radio Martí and Voice of America. U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth on April 22 ordered the Trump administration to restore funding for Voice of America, Radio Free Asia and Middle East Broadcasting Network and rehire all staff, halting an executive order Trump signed in March to shut down the government-funded news organizations. Trump, claiming Voice of America was 'anti-Trump' and pushed 'radical propaganda,' revoked funding for the VOA and its parent company, the U.S. Agency for Global Media, which oversees Radio Free Europe and Radio Free Asia, prompting the organizations to place more than 1,300 employees and hundreds of contractors on leave. Lamberth, who is overseeing six lawsuits opposing the shutdown, ruled the move was likely unconstitutional since the organization was created by and is funded by Congress. On April 29, Lamberth ordered the Trump administration to reinstate $12 million in funding that had previously been appropriated to Radio Free Europe, saying in the ruling the Trump administration cannot take away money that Congress allocated, the Associated Press reported. The VOA, which has a budget of about $260 million annually and was formed in 1942 as a counter to Nazi propaganda, broadcasts in more than 40 languages to an international audience of more than 350 million. Radio Free Asia was formed in 1994 by the International Broadcasting Act and has a budget of about $61 million, and the Middle East Broadcasting Network was founded in 2004 and has a $100 million budget. The White House has attempted to bar the Associated Press from accessing some spaces, such as the Oval Office and Air Force One, after it refused to rename the 'Gulf of Mexico' to the 'Gulf of America' in its style guide. The Associated Press then sued the Trump administration over the blockade, and Judge Trevor McFadden ruled in the AP's favor earlier this month, though Trump has appealed the ruling. Increased Challenges To The White House Press Corps The White House also eliminated a permanent spot in the press pool reserved for wire services and instead put the AP, Bloomberg and Reuters in a rotation for two 'print' slots, along with 31 other outlets. The Trump administration announced in February it would decide which journalists are allowed in the White House press pool, breaking a years-long tradition in which the independent White House Correspondents' Association coordinated the pool, made up of 13 journalists from a rotating group of outlets who travel with the president and share their reporting with other media outlets. The Trump administration has also set up a 'new media' seat in the briefing room that's offered to outlets that don't have a permanent spot, such as Forbes, though it often hosts non-traditional media such as podcast hosts and social media personalities. Trump's Truth Social Parent Company Suing Many Media Companies—including Forbes Trump and his companies have filed multiple lawsuits against media organizations prior to his winning a second term. Trump Media & Technology Group, the parent company for Trump's Truth Social platform, filed a $1.5 billion lawsuit against 20 media organizations, including Forbes, The Guardian, Reuters, Axios and MSNBC, in November 2023, alleging they defamed him by incorrectly reporting that Truth Social lost $73 million from its launch in early 2022 through mid 2023. Many outlets, including Forbes, corrected their stories to say Truth Social had lost $31.6 million since its inception. Trump Sues Bob Woodward For $50 Million In January 2023, Trump sued journalist Bob Woodward, publisher Simon & Schuster and parent company Paramount Global for nearly $50 million, claiming Woodward published recordings of his interviews with Trump for his book 'Rage' without Trump's permission. Trump in December also sued the Des Moines Register, its parent company, Gannett, and its former pollster, Ann Selzer, over a Selzer poll shortly before the election that found Trump would lose Iowa by three to four points, only for him to win the state by 13 points. Trump alleged the poll amounted to election interference and a violation of the Iowa Consumer Fraud Act. The paper and Selzer filed motions to dismiss the suit in February, and the Register alleged the law only applies to 'consumer merchandise,' and there's no evidence Trump ever purchased anything from the paper. Tangent Trump has had mixed results in his legal battles with the press. He settled with ABC News last year in a lawsuit Trump filed when anchor George Stephanopolos said Trump was found liable for 'rape' when a jury found him liable for sexually assaulting writer E. Jean Carroll. The network agreed to donate $15 million to Trump's presidential library and issue a statement of regret as part of the settlement. A judge in July 2023 dismissed a case he filed against CNN over its use of the term 'the big lie' to refer to his false claims he won the 2020 election and alleged comparisons between Trump and Hitler. Further Reading F.C.C. Chair Orders Investigation Into NPR and PBS Sponsorships (New York Times) Which media companies has Donald Trump sued? (Reuters) '60 Minutes' Chief Resigns in Emotional Meeting: 'The Company Is Done With Me' (New York Times)
CNN
15 minutes ago
- CNN
House GOP lawmakers voice concerns over Trump's megabill
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