In a dramatic escalation of a long-running feud, former President Donald Trump has filed a $10 billion lawsuit against CBS News, accusing the network of engaging in “deceptive conduct” to influence the 2024 presidential election. The lawsuit, obtained exclusively by Fox News Digital, claims that CBS intentionally manipulated an interview with Vice President Kamala Harris to present a more favorable image of her, potentially impacting voters’ perceptions in the upcoming election.
The controversy stems from a segment aired on CBS’s “60 Minutes” where Harris was interviewed by correspondent Bill Whitaker. Trump’s legal team alleges that CBS aired two different versions of Harris’s response to a question about Israel, with the first version being a rambling and unclear answer, and the second version being a shorter, more focused answer. This alleged editing, according to the lawsuit, was intended to “tip the scales in favor of the Democratic Party” as the election draws closer.
Trump’s lawyers argue that CBS, in attempting to make Harris appear more decisive and competent, distorted the truth of the interview, potentially misleading viewers about Harris’s actual stance on critical issues. The lawsuit claims that by presenting two different versions of Harris’s answer, CBS created confusion and blurred the line between the candidate’s actual words and the network’s editorial agenda.
This lawsuit adds another chapter to a contentious relationship between Trump and CBS News. Previously, Trump’s attorneys sent letters to CBS demanding the release of the full transcript of the “60 Minutes” interview with Harris, but the network refused, citing the First Amendment and denying any wrongdoing.
The lawsuit further criticizes CBS’s history of alleged liberal bias, pointing to previous controversies surrounding edited segments and selective reporting.
Trump’s legal team asserts that news organizations have a responsibility to accurately represent the truth, not to distort interviews for political gain. The lawsuit emphasizes the importance of transparency in news reporting, particularly during a critical election year.
The lawsuit demands a jury trial and seeks $10 billion in damages, accusing CBS of ongoing false and misleading practices. CBS News has not yet responded to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. This case is likely to have significant ramifications for the ongoing debate about media bias, journalistic integrity, and the role of the media in shaping public opinion during elections.
