Jon Stewart and Steve Kroft Break Down Paramount’s Trump Settlement
In a recent episode of “The Daily Show,” host Jon Stewart sat down with journalist Steve Kroft to delve into Paramount’s eye-opening $16 million settlement with former President Donald Trump, a deal that Kroft dubbed as a “tribute to the king.”
Stewart wasted no time in getting to the heart of the matter, questioning Kroft on the significance of a reputable news organization like “60 Minutes” shelling out such a hefty sum to the president. Kroft didn’t mince words, describing the internal atmosphere as “devastating” and acknowledging the prevailing fear among staff members of potential repercussions.
“There’s a lot of fear,” Kroft admitted. “Fear of job loss, fear for the state of the country, fear of erosion of the First Amendment. All of these factors are at play.”
When pressed on why Paramount ultimately decided to settle, Kroft artfully sidestepped the question, hinting at allegations of bribery from certain lawmakers. However, he didn’t hold back in labeling the settlement as nothing short of “a shakedown” or even “extortion,” sentiments that seemed to resonate with many in the journalism community.
“It’s not just me or ’60 Minutes’ or you who see it as a shakedown,” Kroft remarked. “It’s virtually every journalist who has examined this case and concluded that it’s baseless. It wouldn’t hold up in any court, except perhaps one in Amarillo, Texas, where the lawsuit was filed.”
In the face of such a monumental development, Kroft emphasized that Trump didn’t achieve all his desired outcomes from Paramount.
“In the midst of this lawsuit, the one thing Trump didn’t secure was an apology,” Kroft revealed. “He was adamant about receiving an apology and wanted CBS to acknowledge their error, as a means to undermine the program and network’s credibility. But that concession was denied, and that’s significant.”
The lawsuit in question was filed by Trump against Paramount and CBS just days before the 2024 presidential election. Trump alleged that a “60 Minutes” interview featuring former Vice President Kamala Harris violated a Texas consumer-protection law and misled voters. Initially seeking $10 billion in damages, Trump later upped the ante to $20 billion, citing the edited interview’s portrayal of Harris as more presidential as a grave injustice.
Amidst Paramount’s pending $8 billion deal with Skydance, contingent on FCC approval under the Trump administration, the studio opted to settle with the president for $16 million rather than engage in a protracted legal battle they had previously denounced as “without merit.”
To catch the full exchange between Stewart and Kroft, watch the interview below.
