In yet another major win for media accountability, CBS parent company Paramount Global has agreed to a $16 million settlement with President Donald J. Trump over a deceptively edited “60 Minutes” interview with then–Vice President Kamala Harris — a move that sends shockwaves through corporate media and comes amid Paramount’s pending merger with Skydance Media.

Announced late Tuesday night, the settlement stems from a lawsuit filed by Trump and Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-TX) under the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act, alleging the network engaged in “malicious, deceptive, and substantial news distortion” ahead of the 2024 election.

The lawsuit accused CBS News of blatant election interference, claiming that by intentionally editing Harris’ interview responses — particularly her incoherent remarks regarding Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — the network sought to “confuse, deceive, and mislead the public” to shield the Biden administration’s foreign policy blunders from scrutiny.

While CBS denied any wrongdoing as recently as June 23, dismissing the lawsuit as “meritless” and hiding behind First Amendment defenses, the network ultimately folded — and the consequences go beyond money.

The $16 million settlement will be directed to President Trump’s presidential library fund, not to him personally or to Rep. Jackson — a detail that further reinforces the case’s principled objective: restoring media integrity, not personal enrichment.

Even more significant is the non-monetary component of the settlement: “60 Minutes” must now release full transcripts of future interviews with presidential candidates once aired, with limited redactions permitted only for legal or national security concerns.

This new transparency measure is a remarkable step toward curbing the kind of selective editing and narrative manipulation legacy outlets like CBS have long relied on.

Predictably, Democrats and progressive activists are fuming — not over journalistic malpractice, but over the fact that CBS dared to settle with the man they love to hate.

Far-left senators, including Bernie Sanders, blasted the deal, calling it a “grave mistake” and a capitulation to so-called “authoritarianism.” Three Senate Democrats even warned Paramount shareholder Shari Redstone that settling the case could violate bribery laws — a remarkable stretch, even for Washington.

The Freedom of the Press Foundation, a progressive shareholder group, is threatening to sue Paramount’s board for agreeing to the settlement, claiming reputational harm. CBS insider Lesley Stahl all but confirmed the settlement months ago, admitting in May she was “angry” about it and questioning whether “any corporation should own a news operation.”

Apparently, transparency and accountability are now considered existential threats by the same people who scream about democracy and press freedom — as long as those freedoms serve their agenda.

This is the third major media settlement with Trump since the 2024 election. In December, ABC News paid $15 million to resolve a lawsuit over George Stephanopoulos falsely claiming Trump was “found liable for rape” during an interview with Rep. Nancy Mace — a reckless distortion of the court ruling.

Also, Meta (Facebook’s parent company) paid $25 million to settle with Trump over the politically motivated suspension of his accounts following the January 6 Capitol unrest.

Each of these victories adds up to a clear message: media giants are no longer immune from the consequences of their partisan misinformation campaigns.

Despite Democrats’ outrage and media pearl-clutching, this is a victory not just for President Trump — but for every American who’s sick of being lied to by the so-called “free press.”

And as for CBS? Let’s just say: it couldn’t have happened to a more deserving newsroom.