Trump Sues CBS, Says Harris Interview Was Edited To Help Her (1)

Former President Donald J. Trump (R) sued CBS Broadcasting Inc. Thursday, alleging it engaged in election interference by airing two different versions of an interview with Vice President Kamala Harris (D).

Trump alleges that CBS doctored clips of Harris answering a question about the war in Gaza to replace what he calls a “word salad” response and to present Harris in a better light.

At the center of the lawsuit is a 60 Minutes interview that aired Oct. 5 and 6, which Trump says violates federal law that bars broadcasting intentionally distorted news.

The second airing showed Harris delivering an “articulate and decisive” answer to a question about the US government’s relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with different language than she used in the version that aired Oct. 5.

“CBS’s explanation that the interview was edited for time defies common sense and logic,” the complaint said. “Inclusion of the complete, real, and unintelligible version of Kamala’s answer would have added, at most, mere seconds to the interview.”

CBS has declined his demands to release a transcript, Trump said. He alleges this refusal is a move to protect Harris.

He seeks $10 billion in damages, citing harm to his fundraising and support, according to the complaint filed in the US District Court for the Northern District of Texas.

Trump also seeks an order to block CBS from posting the Oct. 6 version of the interview, as well as an order for CBS to post the full video and an unedited transcript.

A CBS spokesperson said the lawsuit is meritless, that the interview wasn’t doctored, and that it “did not hide any part of the Vice President’s answer to the question at issue.”

Edward Andrew Paltzik of Bochner PLLC, Daniel Z. Epstein of Miami Gardens, Fla., and Chris D. Parker of Farris Parker & Hubbard represent Trump.

The case is Trump v CBS Broadcasting Inc., N.D. Tex., No. 24-236, complaint 10/31/24.