Trump Sues CBS for $10 Billion Over Alleged ‘Deceptive Doctoring’ of Kamala Harris Interview

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has filed a lawsuit against CBS News, alleging that the network engaged in “deceptive conduct” and “malicious, deceptive, and substantial news distortion” in its interview with Vice President Kamala Harris on ‘60 Minutes‘.

The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas on Thursday, claims that CBS edited the interview in a way that was misleading and intended to interfere with the upcoming presidential election. Trump’s attorneys argue that the edits were made to “attempt to tip the scales in favor of the Democratic Party” as the election approaches.

The controversy centers around an exchange between Harris and ’60 Minutes’ correspondent Bill Whitaker regarding U.S. foreign policy on the Israel/Gaza war. In a preview clip aired on ‘Face the Nation,’ Harris provided a lengthy response that was criticized as a “word salad.” However, when the same question was aired in the primetime special, her answer was shorter and more focused. Critics and Trump’s team accuse CBS of editing the interview to shield Harris from further backlash.

Trump’s lawsuit demands a jury trial and seeks at least $10 billion in damages, citing “ongoing false, misleading, and deceptive acts” by CBS. The lawsuit also requests attorneys’ fees and costs associated with the action, as well as any other relief the court deems just and proper.

CBS News has refused to release the full transcript of the interview, citing the First Amendment, and has denied any wrongdoing, insisting that “the interview was not doctored” and that the program “did not hide any part of the vice president’s answer to the question at issue”.