President Trump has escalated his legal battle against CBS by amending his lawsuit and doubling the amount he claims he is owed for the alleged “deceptive” editing of a Kamala Harris interview to a whopping $20 billion. The initial lawsuit, filed in October, accused CBS’ "60 Minutes" of violating the Texas consumer fraud statute by manipulating Harris’ response regarding the war in Gaza. CBS has vehemently defended its editorial decisions, citing First Amendment protection.
In a strategic move, President Trump amended his complaint on Friday to include a new claim under the federal Lanham Act for “unfair competition.” This claim asserts that CBS’ actions had a detrimental impact on Trump’s media ventures, particularly his ownership of the Truth Social platform. The amended complaint alleges that CBS’ editing led to improper diversion of viewership to the network’s platforms, resulting in lower consumer engagement, advertising revenues, and profits for Truth Social and Trump’s other media endeavors.
CBS, in response to a demand from the Federal Communications Commission, released full transcripts and video of the Harris interview earlier this week. The transcript revealed that CBS utilized different portions of Harris’ response on separate programs, indicating what Trump’s lawsuit claims to be a "manipulated" interview. The lawsuit contends that the editing was not limited to the Gaza answer but extended to other parts of the interview, allegedly covering up Harris’ incompetence for commercial gain and partisan motives.
The amended complaint also addresses CBS’ motion to dismiss the case, which argued against litigating in Texas as neither party resides there. In a strategic response, Trump added Ronny Jackson, the Republican congressman from Amarillo, as a co-plaintiff. The lawsuit alleges that Jackson, like Trump, was deceived and misled by the "60 Minutes" interview, further emphasizing the damages caused by CBS’ alleged misconduct.
President Trump is seeking a total of $20 billion in damages – $10 billion for the Lanham Act claim and another $10 billion for the original Texas consumer fraud claim. CBS has countered that the Lanham Act only applies to commercial speech, not political or editorial content. Despite this, Paramount Global, CBS’ parent company, is reportedly exploring a potential settlement with Trump in light of the escalating legal battle. Trump has also called for CBS’ license to be revoked, adding another layer of complexity to the ongoing dispute.
In the midst of this legal showdown, the FCC’s approval of Paramount’s pending merger with Skydance hangs in the balance. The outcome of this high-stakes legal battle between President Trump and CBS remains uncertain, with both parties firmly entrenched in their positions. The twists and turns of this case will undoubtedly continue to captivate and intrigue observers as it unfolds.
This article was contributed by Brian Steinberg.
