(DailyChive.com) – Former President Donald Trump is suing CBS News for $10 billion, claiming the network tried to interfere with the upcoming election by misleading viewers. Trump’s legal team argues that CBS deliberately edited an interview with Vice President Kamala Harris, making her appear more confident and clear about U.S. policy on Israel.
The lawsuit, filed Thursday, accuses CBS of “deceptive conduct” meant to sway public opinion. Trump’s attorneys argue that by showing two different versions of Harris’s response to a question on Israel, CBS aimed to confuse viewers. They claim the network was trying to help the Democratic Party as the 2024 election heats up.
The issue started when CBS aired Harris’s interview with “60 Minutes” correspondent Bill Whitaker. In an initial preview on “Face the Nation,” Harris gave a long, somewhat unclear answer when asked if Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was ignoring U.S. influence. She responded, “The work we have done has resulted in a number of movements… including our advocacy for what needs to happen in the region.” Many conservatives criticized this response as confusing or evasive.
But the next day, CBS aired a shorter, more direct answer from Harris in a prime-time special. In this version, Harris stated, “We are not going to stop pursuing what is necessary… to be clear about where we stand on the need for this war to end.” Trump’s legal team claims CBS edited out her less polished answer to make her appear more competent and focused, sparking accusations of bias.
CBS has refused to release the full, unedited interview transcript, citing its First Amendment rights. The network insists it didn’t alter Harris’s message and that her main points were presented fairly.
In the lawsuit, Trump’s team insists CBS should have allowed viewers to see Harris’s full response, unfiltered. They argue that news outlets should accurately show public officials’ words, not “manipulate” them to fit a particular narrative.
Trump is pushing for a jury trial, seeking $10 billion in damages and demanding CBS take responsibility for what his team calls “ongoing misleading acts.”
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