The executive producer of 60 Minutes remains resolute as CBS News faces a $10 billion lawsuit initiated by President Donald Trump. Bill Owens, who has been at the helm of the program since 2019, expressed his unwavering position during a staff meeting on Monday, emphasizing that he will not yield in the face of the controversy surrounding an interview with Kamala Harris, as reported by The New York Times.
“There have been media reports regarding a potential settlement or apology,” Owens reportedly stated. “The company is aware that I will not issue an apology for our actions.” His assertive declaration comes as Paramount, the parent company of CBS News, contemplates the possibility of settling the lawsuit.
In October, Trump filed the lawsuit, alleging that CBS News engaged in election interference by the manner in which the network edited an interview with Vice President Harris. The lawsuit contends that the network misrepresented her remarks to benefit the Democratic ticket just days prior to the election.
The dispute revolves around a segment aired during Face the Nation, in which Harris was questioned about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s refusal to heed U.S. calls for a ceasefire. Her response was perceived as a confusing and disjointed “word salad,” which quickly became a target for conservative criticism.
However, when the complete 60 Minutes interview was broadcast, CBS condensed Harris’ lengthy reply into a more succinct and coherent statement. Critics accused the network of shielding Harris and alleged that CBS was attempting to protect the vice president just before Election Day.
“The edit is entirely appropriate; let us put that matter to rest so we can move forward,” Owens remarked, downplaying the concerns regarding the editing. The network’s approach to the interview is central to Trump’s legal challenge, with his legal team demanding the release of the full transcript.
Trump’s lawsuit charges CBS News with utilizing its influential platform to mislead voters by altering the interview to favor Joe Biden. The lawsuit claims that the network “crossed the line from exercising judgment in reporting to engaging in deceitful and manipulative news practices.”
The lawsuit asserts, “In an attempt to obscure Kamala’s ‘word salad’ shortcomings, CBS exploited its national platform on 60 Minutes, crossing the boundary from responsible reporting to a deceitful manipulation of news.”
Trump’s legal representatives contend that the edits were intentionally crafted to favor the Democratic Party as the 2024 election approached. The lawsuit claims, “CBS engaged in partisan and unlawful actions of election and voter interference through malicious, deceptive, and significant distortion of news, aimed at confusing, deceiving, and misleading the public.”
As the deadline for submitting the complete interview transcript approaches, CBS News is facing heightened scrutiny. The network has not promptly responded to inquiries for comment, and the stakes in this prominent case continue to escalate.
