Last fall, WorldNetDaily dutifully transcribed Donald Trump’s outrage over a “60 Minutes” interview with Kamala Harris that he insisted made her look too good. For example:
- WATCH: ’60 Minutes’ uses deceptive editing to make Kamala Harris look coherent
- CBS named in federal complaint over its decision to make Harris look coherent
- ‘Pathetic’: Media expert shreds ’60 Minutes’ response about ‘deceitful editing’ of Kamala interview
That “media expert,” by the way, was Fox News’ Howard Kurtz, who frequently peddles right-wing bias in his media criticism. Meanwhile, CBS has since released the entire video of the Harris interview, which showed, in the words of former TV producer Colby Hall, that “60 Minutes” followed the standard operating procedure that any news outlet would in editing a taped interview with a high-profile subject for air, and that Trump’s ludicrous $20 billion lawsuit against CBS over it ids really about “scaring news outlets into more generous coverage.”
But the lawsuit is dragging on, and WND is serving as Trump Regime Media in promoting Trump’s side of it. Joe Kovacs wrote in an April 30 article:
President Donald Trump on Wednesday unleashed another scathing attack on deceptive news agencies, saying CBS News, its “60 Minutes” program, and the New York Times “have to pay a price” for “their likely unlawful behavior,” as reports emerge that CBS and its parent company Paramount are caving to Trump’s legal action against them.
Trump sued CBS, alleging the network deceptively edited its Oct. 7 interview with Kamala Harris to help the vice president sound better during the 2024 race for the White House. Now Paramount executives are reportedly nearing a deal with Trump to settle the claims, according to Mark Steffen at Trending Politics.
Steffen reported: “The offer, set to be discussed Wednesday in the first mediation between both camps, is a tacit acknowledgement of how desperate the entertainment company’s upper echelon has become to end Trump’s $20 billion lawsuit.
“During an April 18th meeting, Paramount allegedly outlined financial parameters for a potential settlement with the president, according to three people with knowledge of the discussions. The exact dollar amount is unclear, but reaching a consensus would pave the way for both sides to seek dismissal of the suit.”
Trump said Wednesday on Truth Social: “The case we have against 60 Minutes, CBS, and Paramount is a true WINNER.”
Kovacs did not mention that the full video did not show any sort of conspiracy to deceive, nor did he note that the apparent real reason Paramount wants to settle the lawsuit with a cash payment to Trump is because it’s seeking to have a merger with another company approved by the Trump administration.
Kovacs served up more pro-Trump stenography in an May 7 article:
President Donald Trump expressed outrage Wednesday at CBS News and its “60 Minutes” program being nominated for an Emmy award for its deceptively edited interview with former Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 White House race.
“In a total slap in the face to anyone who believes in TRUTH and Honest Journalism, this Fake News Puff Piece has now been nominated for an award by the totally discredited Emmys,” Trump posted on Truth Social.
“Did 60 Minutes and its Corporate Parents apply to get an Emmy for an illegally falsified interview, or did other Fake Outlets nominate them for this dubious ‘honor’?
“These antics are why the American People have no trust in the Press, and demand that the Media, very much including 60 Minutes, CBS, and its owners, be held responsible for their corruption and lies, which is exactly what we are doing in Court!”
This time, though, Kovacs did sort of admit the quid pro quo Paramount is looking to achieve:
CBS’ parent company, Paramount Global, is hoping to complete a planned multibillion-dollar merger with Skydance Media.
Meanwhile, Bill Owens, “60 Minutes” executive producer, left the news program last month, complaining about the show’s editorial independence.
“Our parent company, Paramount, is trying to complete a merger,” said “60 Minutes” anchor Scott Pelley, discussing the departure of Owens on the air.
“The Trump administration must approve it. Paramount began to supervise our content in new ways. None of our stories have been blocked, but Bill felt he lost the independence that honest journalism required.”
Kovacs offered no other comment on the situation, however.
A May 19 article by Kovacs on the departure of CBS News chief Wendy McMahon noted that it came “amid an ongoing legal battle with President Donald Trump over a “60 Minutes” interview” but did not mention Paramount’s need for its deal to be approved by Trump.