CBS News is in hot water again as President Donald Trump’s legal team threatens a defamation lawsuit over a reckless 60 Minutes segment. The May 4 broadcast, which painted Trump as a "mob boss" and accused him of criminal bribery, has sparked outrage, as the Washington Free Beacon reports. Turns out, actions have consequences.
The segment, aired during delicate settlement talks for a separate Trump lawsuit against CBS, likened the president to a crime lord while slamming his deals with law firms over their diversity initiatives. Trump’s attorneys are calling it a blatant attempt to derail negotiations. Clearly, CBS didn’t get the memo on playing fair.
In November 2024, Trump sued CBS, alleging "election and voter interference" from made to a 60 Minutes interview with Kamala Harris. Initially seeking $10 billion, his team upped the damages to $20 billion. The network’s latest stunt only pours fuel on the fire.
Settlement discussions between Trump’s lawyers and Paramount, CBS’s parent company, kicked off in late April. The May 4 segment, blasting Trump’s executive orders as unlawful, was seen as a low blow to sabotage those talks. Trump attorney Ed Paltzik didn’t mince words: "CBS News and Paramount aired a new, defamatory 60 Minutes segment."
Paltzik added that CBS’s "attempts to subvert the legal process with lies and smears" could trigger more lawsuits. The network’s timing reeks of desperation. One might wonder if CBS thinks sensationalism trumps integrity.
Paramount, meanwhile, is juggling an $8 billion merger with Skydance, pending FCC approval. Chairwoman Shari Redstone is banking on settling Trump’s lawsuit to smooth the merger’s path. Good luck with that when CBS keeps poking the bear.
The fallout at CBS is palpable, with key resignations signaling trouble. Bill Owens, 60 Minutes' executive producer, stepped down in April, stating that he was no longer "allowed to run the show as I have always run it." Sounds like someone’s tired of the corporate leash.
Wendy McMahon, CBS News president, also bailed the week before, admitting that she and the company didn’t "agree on a path forward." Internal strife and external lawsuits? CBS is cooking a recipe for disaster.
Scott Pelley, 60 Minutes' host, took a different tack, blasting Trump in a Wake Forest University commencement speech. "Why attack journalism? Because ignorance works for power," Pelley said, accusing Trump of twisting words like "diversity" into something "illegal." Nice try, but deflecting blame won’t fix CBS’s mess.
Pelley doubled down, claiming Trump’s actions make "criminals heroes and heroes criminals." His sanctimonious lecture might play well with the woke crowd, but it’s a weak defense for shoddy reporting. The truth doesn’t bend to eloquent whining.
The 60 Minutes season finale conspicuously skipped a planned segment on Trump’s IRS firings. Producers said there were "new details" needing more reporting, but it’s hard not to smell a retreat. Perhaps CBS realized not every Trump story needs a villain’s cape.
Paramount co-CEO George Cheeks briefly considered swapping the finale for an unrelated special but backed off. Indecision at the top only underscores CBS’s scramble to save face. Meanwhile, 60 Minutes is now on hiatus until September, conveniently aligning with Paramount’s settlement timeline.
Unnamed lawyers in the May 4 segment called Trump a "mob boss" seeking "protection money." That kind of hyperbole might grab ratings, but it’s a risky bet when lawsuits are on the table. CBS’s silence on the matter -- ignoring requests for comment -- speaks volumes.
Trump’s team isn’t backing down, with Paltzik warning that "additional corrective legal action" is on the table. CBS’s attempt to paint Trump as a cartoonish villain has backfired spectacularly. Who knew smear tactics could bite back?
As Paramount scrambles to finalize its merger, CBS’s blunders could cost more than just credibility. Redstone’s hopes for a smooth deal might be dashed if Trump’s legal team keeps the pressure on. In the end, CBS may learn that the truth isn’t as malleable as their editing room makes it seem.
