'60 Minutes' Chaos Erupts: CBS' News Program Airs Scathing Segment About Trump — As Show's Bosses Try To Settle President's $20Billion Lawsuit Over That Kamala Harris Interview
May 5 2025, Published 12:42 p.m. ET
60 Minutes has hit President Trump with another scathing investigation, RadarOnline.com can report, as the newsmagazine's corporate parent Paramount Global tries desperately to settle a massive lawsuit he has brought against the program.
The controversial new report comes just a week after the legendary show said goodbye to its executive producer.
Trump has signed executive orders targeting law firms that have fought him.
During Sunday night's show, host Scott Pelley slammed Trump for his efforts to target some of the biggest law firms in the country that have been critical of him with executive orders.
An official description of the show explained: "On the campaign trail, President Trump vowed to wield the power of the presidency to go after his perceived enemies.
"Now in the White House, Trump is using executive orders to target some of the biggest law firms in the country that he accuses of 'weaponizing' the justice system against him."
CBS needs the president's approval for a proposed merger.
Pelley opened the segment by admitting frankly: "It was nearly impossible to get anyone on camera for this story because of the fear now running through our system of justice.
"In recent weeks, President Trump has signed orders against several law firms — orders with the power to destroy them. That matters because lawsuits have been a check on the president's power."
He was, however, able to get comment from Marc Elias, a former Perkins Cole partner and longtime rival of Trump, who compared the president's executive orders to a mob boss intimidating people in a neighborhood.
"The fact is that these law firms are being told, 'If you don't play ball with us, maybe somethin' really bad will happen to you,'" Elias said.
Elias has previously challenged Trump in 2020, when he defeated the 78-year-old businessman's efforts to contest the election results in court.
He went on to call Trump the walking embodiment of everything that is wrong with the American political system.
"And so when Donald Trump says that I am unethical or that I am undermining his vision of America, I say, 'Boy I must be doin' something right,'" Elias said.
Scott Pelley addressed the recent departure of the show boss on last week's episode.
The segment comes as CBS battles a $20billion lawsuit filed by Trump, claiming it deceptively edited an interview last fall with his election opponent Kamala Harris.
Paramount, the parent company of CBS, also needs Trump's approval to merge with Skydance Media.
When Trump took office for his second term, his Federal Communications Commission chairman, Brendan Carr, announced CBS would be investigated over the interview. Trump has demanded a retraction and even suggested the networks' broadcast license be revoked.
Company executives are reportedly in mediation to settle the lawsuit, a prospect that has been bitterly opposed by 60 Minutes staffers.
Last month, the show's executive producer and leader, Bill Owens, suddenly quit his job in light of the network's response to the licensing threats, saying he is no longer able to produce the show he wants.
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At the end of last week's episode, Pelley addressed Owens' decision, saying it was "hard" on the staff. He then took a shot at the corporate executives and their dedication to fair and balanced reporting.
"Our parent company Paramount is trying to complete a merger," Pelley explained.
"Paramount began to supervise our content in new ways. None of our stories has been blocked, but Bill felt he had lost the independence that honest journalism requires."
Pelley added: "No one here is happy about it, but in resigning, Bill proved one thing: he was the right person to lead 60 Minutes all along."
The FCC has been reviewing a request from Skydance Productions to purchase, "strengthen and revitalize" CBS – and sources said that means sweeping changes in the news division.
An insider exclusively told RadarOnline.com: "The place has been in freefall for years, and if the sale goes through, there's no way the new owners will settle for status quo."
