Judge denies CBS, Paramount’s motion to dismiss Trump’s ’60 minutes’ lawsuit

• A federal judge denied CBS and Paramount Global’s motion to dismiss President Donald Trump’s $20 billion lawsuit, allowing it to proceed. The case revolves around a “60 Minutes” interview that Trump says was deceptively edited to benefit former Vice President Kamala Harris ahead of the election.

• After the FCC released the full transcript and raw footage, Trump’s legal team amended the lawsuit, doubling the damages claim and adding Paramount Global as a defendant, citing the interview’s availability on Paramount+.

• Paramount is reportedly considering a settlement as it pursues a multibillion-dollar merger with Skydance Media, a deal that could face scrutiny from the Republican-led FCC.

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A federal judge has denied CBS and Paramount Global’s motion to dismiss President Donald Trump’s $20 billion lawsuit, allowing the case to proceed. Trump accuses the media giants of election interference, claiming a “60 Minutes” interview was deceptively edited to benefit former Vice President Kamala Harris ahead of the election.

The week of Feb. 2, after the Federal Communications Commission released the full transcript and raw footage, Trump’s legal team amended the original lawsuit against CBS, which initially sought $10 billion in damages. The amended complaint doubled the damages to $20 billion, and added Paramount Global as a defendant, citing the interview’s availability on Paramount+ as a reason for its inclusion in the case.

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Judge rules motion to dismiss is moot

U.S. District Judge Matthew J. Kacsmaryk ruled that CBS and Paramount’s motion to dismiss was “moot” due to the amended complaint, meaning the lawsuit will continue.

However, the judge clarified that the ruling does not reflect the merits of the case, but rather procedural matters. CBS and Paramount have 21 days to file a new motion to dismiss based on the revised lawsuit.

Editing controversy and potential settlement

Critics have accused CBS of editing Harris’s remarks to shield her from backlash. CBS defended its editing practices, stating that condensing responses for clarity is standard practice for “60 Minutes.”

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Meanwhile, Paramount Global is reportedly considering a settlement to avoid a prolonged legal battle, particularly as it pursues a multibillion-dollar merger with Skydance Media.

The merger could face scrutiny from the Republican-led FCC, which has the authority to block the deal.

Reports indicate that Paramount’s controlling shareholder, Shari Redstone, supports settling the case with President Trump.