Colbert Slams Paramount for Pressuring 60 Minutes on Trump Coverage Amid $20B Lawsuit

In a bold move on The Late Show, Stephen Colbert didn’t hold back, calling out his employer, Paramount Global, for allegedly pressuring CBS’s iconic 60 Minutes to soften its coverage of President Donald Trump. The heat, according to reports, came from Paramount’s controlling shareholder, Shari Redstone, amid Trump’s jaw-dropping $20 billion lawsuit against CBS. The suit claims the network’s editing of a Kamala Harris interview amounted to election interference. Colbert, with his signature wit, shared the stage with MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow, probing whether her network faced similar pressures. Maddow, cool as ever, said MSNBC’s leadership absorbs any political heat, leaving journalists free to do their work.

The drama doesn’t stop there. Paramount’s push to merge with Skydance Media hangs in the balance, with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) holding the power to greenlight or derail it. Insiders suggest Redstone’s moves might be a hedge against FCC backlash. Meanwhile, 60 Minutes veteran producer Bill Owens shocked the industry by resigning, citing Paramount’s new oversight as a threat to journalistic independence. On-air, correspondent Scott Pelley confirmed the corporate meddling, noting no stories were spiked, but the vibe had shifted. As mediation looms in Trump’s lawsuit, the question remains: will Paramount’s gamble preserve its merger dreams or cost it journalistic credibility?