Bari Weiss Taking Charge at CBS Raises Concerns Over Media Autonomy

Donald Trump made his return to CBS News' 60 Minutes, marking his first appearance since resolving a $16 million lawsuit with the network. The suit stemmed from a 2024 interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris, which Trump argued had been misleadingly edited to favor her election campaign, as detailed in a

. The conversation, led by anchor Norah O'Donnell at Mar-a-Lago and scheduled to broadcast on Sunday, is seen as a sign of improving relations between Trump and CBS after their summer legal agreement, according to . The network, now overseen by CEO David Ellison—whose father, Larry Ellison, is a well-known Trump supporter—has experienced major leadership shifts, including naming Bari Weiss as CBS News editor-in-chief, as reported by . Weiss, who founded the conservative-leaning Free Press, has faced backlash for her editorial direction, which some critics say aligns with Trump's agenda, according to .

Trump initiated the lawsuit in October 2024, alleging that 60 Minutes had distorted his interview with Harris, The Guardian noted. Although legal analysts largely considered the case to lack substance, CBS settled in July without issuing an apology or admitting fault. This agreement coincided with broader changes at Paramount Skydance, which merged with CBS' parent company in August and announced plans to eliminate 1,000 jobs, as reported by

. The network also brought on a new ombudsman connected to the Hudson Institute, a conservative think tank, further intensifying debates about editorial autonomy.

The latest interview has renewed attention on 60 Minutes' editing standards. Both a full transcript and an extended 73-minute version were made available online, showing Trump criticizing CBS over the previous settlement. "60 Minutes was forced to pay me a lot of money," he stated, accusing the network of spreading "fake news" by altering the Harris interview, as reported by The Guardian. In response, Democrats have urged the FCC to investigate whether edits to Trump's own interview—such as removing his praise for Weiss and his remarks about financial gains from the settlement—breached broadcast fairness rules, and

that MSNBC analyst Tim Miller threatened legal action over the alleged omissions. Tim Miller, a frequent Trump critic, described the edits as "damaging."

The political consequences of the Paramount Skydance merger are still being felt across the media industry. The network's apparent shift toward conservative perspectives has sparked concern among journalists and viewers about a possible "rightward turn," a trend that critics say is reflected in recent programming. Detractors point to Weiss's booking of prominent conservatives, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Jared Kushner, as evidence of this direction. Meanwhile, Trump's influence on media deals remains visible: reports suggest he has pushed for Warner Bros. Discovery to be acquired by the Ellison family, using the DOJ's antitrust division to support the effort, according to

.

As the FCC considers its response to the editing dispute, the 60 Minutes interview highlights the delicate balance between political power and media trust. With Trump's remarks on Venezuela, immigration, and other contentious topics taking center stage, the episode underscores the ongoing struggle between journalistic standards and partisan influence in today's divided media environment.