President Donald Trump demands CBS News license termination over an allegedly edited Kamala Harris interview, igniting a fierce debate on media integrity and political accountability.

Top Takeaways

• Trump files $10 billion lawsuit against “60 Minutes,” alleging election interference through edited Harris interview
• CBS denies allegations, releases unedited transcripts asserting broadcast integrity
• FCC investigates discrepancies, with Republican and Democratic commissioners differing on potential rule violations
• Legal experts doubt the lawsuit’s merit, while CBS executives resist settlement talks
• Controversy highlights ongoing tensions between Trump and mainstream media outlets

Trump’s Explosive Allegations Against CBS

In a startling turn of events, President Donald Trump has launched a scathing attack on CBS News and its flagship program “60 Minutes.” Trump alleges that the network manipulated an interview with former presidential candidate Kamala Harris, calling for severe repercussions including the termination of CBS’s broadcast license and the cancellation of “60 Minutes.”

At the heart of the controversy is a $10 billion lawsuit filed by Trump in November, accusing “60 Minutes” of misleading voters by editing Harris’s interview in a way that he claims constitutes election interference and fraud. The former president asserts that CBS replaced Harris’s original answers with different ones, altering public perception of the politician.

“CBS and 60 Minutes defrauded the public by doing something which has never, to this extent, been seen before. They 100% removed Kamala’s horrible election changing answers to questions, and replaced them with completely different, and far better, answers, taken from another part of the interview. This was Election changing “stuff,” Election Interference and, quite simply, Election Fraud at a level never seen before. CBS should lose its license, and the cheaters at 60 Minutes should all be thrown out, and this disreputable “NEWS” show should be immediately terminated. With the new Democrat scandal that just arose with respect to USAID illegally paying large sums of money to Politico and other media outlets, the question must me asked, was CBS paid for committing this FRAUD??? Many other questions to come! This will go down as the biggest Broadcasting SCANDAL in History!!!,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

I watched the full, unedited video of the Kamala Harris interview + reviewed the full transcript as well as the segment that aired on CBS News. 

I would encourage everyone who cares about fact driven journalism to do the same.@60Minutes did then-VP Harris a favor in the edit… pic.twitter.com/dna0iRno0W

— Catherine Herridge (@C__Herridge) February 6, 2025

CBS’s Defense and FCC Investigation

In response to Trump’s allegations, CBS has taken a firm stance, releasing unedited transcripts of the interview and asserting that the broadcast was neither doctored nor deceitful. The network maintains that its journalistic integrity remains intact, pushing back against claims of manipulation.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has stepped into the fray, requesting tapes and transcripts related to the interview. The investigation focuses on potential discrepancies in the editing process, with commissioners divided along party lines regarding the severity of CBS’s alleged actions.

Political Divide and Legal Implications

The controversy has highlighted the ongoing political divide within regulatory bodies. Republican FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr has expressed concern over CBS’s conduct, while Democratic Commissioner Anna Gomez sees no evidence of rule violations based on the materials provided.

“This is a rare situation where we have extrinsic evidence that CBS had played one answer or one set of words and then swapped in another set. And CBS’s conduct through this, frankly, has been concerning,” said Carr.

Legal experts, however, suggest that Trump’s lawsuit lacks substantial merit. This assessment raises questions about the motivations behind the legal action and its potential impact on public discourse surrounding media practices and political coverage.

“The transcript and footage of this interview provide no evidence that CBS and its affiliated broadcast stations violated FCC rules. Having now seen these materials, I see no reason to continue pursuing this investigation. The FCC should now move to dismiss this fishing expedition to avoid further politicizing our enforcement actions,” said Gomez.

CBS’s Internal Struggles and Future Implications

As the controversy unfolds, internal tensions at CBS have come to light. Paramount Global, CBS News’ parent company, is reportedly considering a settlement to facilitate a sale to Skydance Media. However, “60 Minutes” executive producer Bill Owens and CBS executive Wendy McMahon staunchly oppose settling the lawsuit, emphasizing the importance of protecting their journalistic integrity.

This clash between Trump and CBS News underscores the ongoing tensions between conservative figures and mainstream media outlets. It raises critical questions about the responsibilities of news organizations in presenting political interviews and the potential consequences of perceived bias or manipulation in reporting.