CBS has announced it will hand over an unedited transcript of its October interview with former Vice President Kamala Harris to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), amid President Donald Trump’s legal battle with the network.
Trump sued CBS for $10 million, alleging that the “60 Minutes” interview was deceptively edited to portray Harris favorably. Reports indicate that CBS’ parent company, Paramount, has been in discussions with Trump’s legal team regarding a potential settlement.
The network’s decision follows an order from FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, a Trump appointee, requiring CBS to provide transcripts and camera feeds for an investigation by the commission. Historically, “60 Minutes” has resisted releasing interview transcripts to avoid scrutiny over its editing decisions.
The lawsuit gained traction after discrepancies were noted in Harris’ responses to a question posed by correspondent Bill Whitaker.
CBS aired different clips of her answer on “Face the Nation” on October 6 and “60 Minutes” the following night, justifying the edits as necessary for time constraints. However, Trump’s lawsuit, filed in Texas on November 1, claims the editing was a deliberate attempt to mislead voters and amounted to election interference.
Despite winning the election days after filing the suit, Trump has continued pursuing legal action. Meanwhile, reports from The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times suggest Paramount is considering a settlement, as the company seeks Trump administration approval for its sale to Skydance.
This case is being closely watched by press freedom advocates and CBS journalists, whose attorneys have dismissed Trump’s claims as meritless.
It also follows other recent settlements involving Trump, including a $15 million payment from ABC News over statements made by anchor George Stephanopoulos and a reported $25 million settlement from Meta related to Trump’s suspension from its platforms following the January 6 Capitol riot.
