Former President Donald Trump gave CBS’s “60 Minutes” his first interview since settling a high-profile lawsuit. He strongly supported the new leadership at Paramount and CBS News. Trump praised Skydance Media’s purchase of Paramount and the hiring of Bari Weiss as CBS News editor-in-chief from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida. He called it “one of the greatest things to happen in a long time for a free and open press.”
Norah O’Donnell interviewed Trump on November 2. This was his first appearance on CBS since he sued the network over claims that they edited a “60 Minutes” segment with then-presidential candidate Kamala Harris in a misleading way during the 2024 election cycle. Paramount Global, CBS’s parent company, agreed to a $16 million settlement. This settlement also included an agreement to release interview transcripts right after they aired.
Trump praised Weiss, the founder of the center-right digital news site The Free Press, for her editorial leadership and called her “a fantastic new leader,” even though he didn’t know her personally. He was hopeful about the changes that would come with new ownership. He stressed the need for “authentic news” and praised the move toward what he sees as a more balanced and responsible media environment.
The settlement comes after Paramount’s $8 billion deal to buy Skydance Media, which is run by CEO David Ellison. Ellison also personally chose Weiss to run CBS News. This change meant a new editorial direction that would help the network get back on its feet after it had trouble competing with other networks and had to make big changes to its staff.
According to media experts, CBS News is taking a more independent, “trust-first” editorial stance under Weiss. This could attract a wider, possibly more center-right audience. The move is in line with efforts to distance the network from past problems and adopt a new vision for broadcast journalism.
Trump’s interview also included harsh criticisms of well-known Democrats and political opponents, which is in line with what he has said in public for a long time. But most of the conversation showed that he liked how the media was changing at CBS and Paramount.
This new development is a big deal for American broadcast news because it shows how leadership changes and corporate acquisitions are changing the future of the industry.
