Journalists slam CBS for capitulating to Trump's 'presidential extortion' over ‘60 Minutes’ lawsuit

WASHINGTON, DC: CBS' $16 million settlement with President Donald Trump was condemned by journalists on Wednesday, July 2, after the company agreed to settle the POTUS' election interference lawsuit.

Paramount Global and CBS agreed on Tuesday, July 1, to pay President Trump a sum that could reach around $30 million to settle the lawsuit against the network.

CBS’ $16M settlement with Trump over ‘60 Minutes’ lawsuit

The POTUS will get $16 million upfront and will cover legal fees, costs of the case, and contributions to his future presidential library or charitable causes, to be determined at Trump’s discretion, according to Fox News.

Moreover, there are chances that there will be another allocation in the eight figures set aside for advertisements, public service announcements, or other similar transmissions, for conservative causes by the network in the future, the outlet reported.

Considering these factors, CBS would pay well more than the $15 million ABC paid Trump to settle a defamation lawsuit in 2024.

Meanwhile, the current Paramount management disputes the additional allocation.

Insiders informed Fox News that CBS has agreed to update its editorial standards to install a mandatory new rule.

Moreover, the network will promptly release full, unedited transcripts of future presidential candidates’ interviews going forward.

Interestingly, people involved in the settlement talks have referred to this as the "Trump Rule".

Trump sought $20 billion in his lawsuit against CBS over its handling of a "60 Minutes" interview last year with former Vice President Kamala Harris.

He accused the network of election interference leading up to the 2024 contest.

However, CBS has not acknowledged any journalistic wrongdoing with the settlement.

Journalists slam CBS’ settlement with Trump

Following this decision, several journalists took a jibe at both the network and Trump and some even called it "disturbing development" and a "tool of power and corruption".

Media reporter Brian Stelter said it was a "disturbing development" for the news media to simply pay off Trump to make him "go away" as he appeared on CNN to discuss the news.

"It does create a worrisome, slippery slope," he said.

Similarly, CNN commentator and former congressman Adam Kinzinger wrote on X, "This is insane, and boycotts [may be] called for."

David Frum, a writer for The Atlantic, also posted on X, "Presidential extortion as a tool of power and corruption".

Moreover, Marlow Stern, a professor at the Columbia Journalism School, said Trump effectively blackmailed Paramount and also accused him of an "unprecedented level of corruption".

"Trump effectively blackmailing a company because he didn't like the way they aired an interview with his political rival by holding their pending merger (with skydance, which needs fcc approval) in limbo till they paid him out is an unprecedented level of corruption," Stern wrote on X.

Meanwhile, David Enrich, an editor at The New York Times, wrote, "The deal is the clearest sign yet of Trump's ability to intimidate major American institutions."

Tara Setmayer, a former adviser for the Lincoln Project, said, "Capitulation is for cowards. All it does is embolden the bully."

Rome Hartman, who retired from CBS two weeks ago, called the settlement "a cowardly capitulation by the corporate leaders of Paramount, and a fundamental betrayal of '60 Minutes' and CBS News." 

Meanwhile, Ex-NBC News reporter Joshua Johnson stated that many CBS programs he respected were dishonored by Paramount's "cowardice, greed and stupidity." 

"It’s stunning how quickly corporate media is burning itself to death. Just disgusting," Johnson wrote before continuing in a follow-up post. "And what did @CBSMornings lead with today? Weather! That’s like finding out you’ve been disowned one night, and when you sit down to breakfast the next day all you say is, 'How about that rain, huh?" he said.