Trump says he received $16 million payment after Paramount lawsuit settlement

U.S. President Donald Trump says Paramount Global has wired $16 million to resolve his lawsuit alleging that CBS programme ‘60 Minutes’ doctored an interview with former vice-president Kamala Harris.

Paramount made the payment and both sides moved on Tuesday to dismiss the case in a Washington federal court filing. Mr Trump, writing on his Truth Social platform, said he also expects to receive “$20 million more from the new owners” once the broadcaster’s takeover is completed.

The settlement comes as Paramount awaits Federal Communications Commission approval for its planned $8.4 billion merger with Skydance Media. FCC chair Brendan Carr has insisted the agency’s review is “wholly separate” from the lawsuit.

Paramount declined to comment on the payment. It later issued a statement saying the accord “does not include PSAs or anything related to PSAs” and that it was unaware of any additional promises made to the president beyond those recorded by the mediator.

Skydance, whose chief executive David Ellison would take the helm of the enlarged group, also declined to comment. New York’s National Amusements, the Redstone family vehicle that controls Paramount, is to be bought by Skydance investors as part of the deal.

Mr Trump filed suit earlier this month, accusing ‘60 Minutes’ of “deceptively editing” a Harris interview broadcast in October. He argued the segment harmed his reputation during the 2024 election campaign.

The settlement marks a rare legal victory for a sitting U.S. president against a major news outlet and could intensify scrutiny of the Paramount-Skydance tie-up as regulators weigh potential political pressure.

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