Jon Stewart Slams Paramount’s $16M Trump Settlement: “A Shakedown,” Says Former ‘60 Minutes’ Reporter Steve Kroft

Jon Stewart calls out Paramount’s controversial $16 million settlement with Donald Trump over the Kamala Harris 60 Minutes interview, raising questions about media integrity, corporate influence, and the future of journalism.

Washington DC, July 8 — Comedian and The Daily Show host Jon Stewart did not hold back in criticizing Paramount’s $16 million settlement with Donald Trump over the editing of Vice President Kamala Harris’ 60 Minutes interview, calling it a corporate cave-in that threatens journalistic freedom. Though visibly censored during the show in a tongue-in-cheek segment, Stewart made his stance clear while speaking with former 60 Minutes correspondent Steve Kroft, who labeled the deal “a shakedown.”

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In what has become one of the most talked-about media controversies of the year, Jon Stewart used his platform on The Daily Show to sharply question Paramount Global’s $16 million settlement with former U.S. President Donald Trump, following his lawsuit against the company over the way 60 Minutes edited its October interview with Vice President Kamala Harris.

While Stewart was quickly “cut off” during his opening monologue by a satirical screen that read, “Please stand by. Brought to you by Arby’s — for when you want a sandwich commensurate with your company’s shame,” the message landed: this wasn’t just a joke — it was a scathing critique of media complicity and corporate capitulation.

The lawsuit resulted in Paramount agreeing to release 60 Minutes transcripts for future presidential candidate interviews post-broadcast. Though the company stopped short of issuing an apology, the $16 million payout was enough to stir controversy both inside and outside the newsroom.

“That’s why it’s so wrong,” Stewart stated, resuming the show after the mock interruption.

Later in the program, Stewart hosted Steve Kroft, a former 60 Minutes legend, to discuss the fallout. When asked how current CBS News employees were reacting, Kroft admitted,

“Devastating is a good word. I think there’s a lot of fear over there… fear of losing their job, fear of what’s happening to the country, fear of losing the First Amendment.”

Kroft clarified that Trump’s issue stemmed from the editing of Harris’ interview, with various clips used across CBS platforms. Stewart drew attention to the double standard, comparing it with Fox News’ editing of Trump interviews, which he called far more egregious, yet faced no legal pushback.

“Why was the 60 Minutes edit worthy of a $16 million settlement from what’s supposed to be the gold standard of journalism?” Stewart asked.
“It was a shakedown. That’s what I call it,” Kroft responded bluntly.

The discussion took a more serious turn when Stewart delved into possible political motivations behind the payout. Sources have suggested that Paramount agreed to the settlement to avoid regulatory hurdles in its pending merger with Skydance, which is under FCC review. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, a Trump appointee, reportedly flagged the interview as a concern in the merger’s approval process.

“Was this settlement just a payment so the Paramount-Skydance merger could go through without a Trump FCC challenge?” Stewart asked.
“Yes,” Kroft replied without hesitation.

Stewart summed up the situation in his signature style:

“So the implication is — no $8 billion merger, no $2 billion payout for [Paramount Global Chairwoman] Shari Redstone, unless you give Trump a payoff? That sounds illegal. And I’m not a lawyer, but I did watch Goodfellas.”

The discussion has reignited conversations around the pressures media companies face, the influence of political figures on journalism, and the erosion of editorial independence in the face of big-money deals.