President Trump is suing CBS News over its recent “60 Minutes” interview with Kamala Harris, alleging that the network deceptively edited the broadcast to portray Harris more favorably. The lawsuit, which seeks a staggering $10 billion in damages, accuses CBS of “deceptive manipulation” intended to enhance Harris’s image ahead of the 2024 election.
According to the legal filing, Trump contends that CBS crossed the line from responsible journalism into “deceitful, deceptive manipulation of news” by editing portions of the interview to conceal what the lawsuit calls Harris’s “word salad” tendencies. The suit claims this amounted to “partisan and unlawful acts of election and voter interference through malicious, deceptive, and substantial news distortion.”
The interview in question aired earlier this month and has since sparked heated criticism from Trump and his allies, who argue that CBS intentionally omitted parts of Harris’s responses to challenging questions—particularly regarding the ongoing conflict in Gaza. While CBS later published the full, unedited responses on its website, Trump’s legal team asserts that the initial broadcast omitted key segments, thus giving viewers a skewed impression of Harris’s stance and eloquence on foreign policy.
CBS has responded to similar accusations by stating that edits for “60 Minutes” interviews are routine and done primarily for clarity, time, and accuracy, especially in discussions with major political figures. News outlets, including CBS, often omit portions of interviews to fit time constraints and streamline content for viewers. In this case, however, Trump and his allies argue that the editing decisions went beyond standard practices, veering into what they claim is “news distortion.”
BREAKING: Trump sues CBS for deceptive editing and election interference pic.twitter.com/vMglNpsTFW
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) October 31, 2024
Trump’s legal team has filed the lawsuit in the Northern District of Texas, an area where any appeals would likely go to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, which has been known for its conservative leanings. Trump’s legal strategy appears calculated to increase the chances of a favorable ruling in a court environment more sympathetic to his claims.
This lawsuit isn’t the first clash Trump has had with CBS. According to The Hill, Trump had initially agreed to sit for a similar “60 Minutes” interview, but withdrew after the program announced plans to fact-check his statements in real time. Trump’s legal team contends that CBS’s selective editing in Harris’s interview amounts to an attempt to “tip the scales” of public perception in favor of the Democratic ticket, calling it an act of political interference.
As the case unfolds, it underscores Trump’s ongoing battle with mainstream media outlets, which he has repeatedly criticized as biased and “fake news.” Whether Trump’s lawsuit will succeed remains to be seen, but the suit has already intensified the spotlight on media ethics and election coverage as the 2024 election looms.