Democrats call payout a ‘bribe in plain sight' as Paramount settles lawsuit while seeking government approval for mega-merger
The settlement has reignited accusations of political interference, with senior Democrats making wild calls for federal investigators to probe whether the payout amounts to a 'bribe'.
Mr Trump sued CBS in October, alleging that the Harris interview had been deceptively edited to favour the Democratic Party ahead of the 2024 presidential election.
The network aired two versions of the interview in which Ms Harris appeared to give conflicting responses to a question on the Israel–Hamas war.
CBS and several industry groups defended the edit as standard television practice.
Paramount said the settlement would be allocated to Mr Trump's future presidential library.
'The settlement does not include a statement of apology or regret,' the company said.
However, Mr Trump's legal team declared the outcome a success.
'With this record settlement, President Donald J. Trump delivers another win for the American people,' a spokesperson said.
The fallout was immediate. Shares in Paramount dropped 1.2 per cent on Wednesday, and the political reaction was swift and severe.
Democrat Senator Elizabeth Warren raised the alarm over potential corruption.
'With Paramount folding to Donald Trump at the same time the company needs his administration's approval for its billion-dollar merger, this could be bribery in plain sight,' she said.
'Paramount has refused to provide answers to a congressional inquiry, so I'm calling for a full investigation into whether or not any anti-bribery laws were broken.'
She also announced plans to introduce legislation aimed at restricting donations to sitting presidents' libraries.
Senator Ron Wyden said: 'Paramount just paid Trump a bribe for merger approval. State prosecutors should make the corporate execs who sold out our democracy answer in court, today.'
FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez, a Democrat, said the lawsuit was 'entirely meritless' and condemned Paramount's decision to settle.
'It casts a long shadow over the integrity of the transaction pending before the FCC and marks a dangerous precedent for the First Amendment,' she said.
Senator Bernie Sanders warned: 'Paramount's decision will only embolden Trump to continue attacking, suing and intimidating the media which he has labelled 'the enemy of the people.''
Paramount co-CEO George Cheeks addressed the matter at the company's annual shareholders meeting, explaining the reasons for the settlement.
He cited the 'somewhat unpredictable cost' of mounting a legal defence, the potential for 'significant financial as well as reputational damage' and the 'disruption of an ongoing legal battle'.
The case entered mediation in April, after Mr Trump increased his damages claim to $20 billion in February.
As part of the settlement, 60 Minutes agreed to release transcripts of future interviews with presidential candidates once aired, subject to redactions for legal or national security reasons.
The lawsuit, filed under the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices-Consumer Protection Act, is part of a broader pattern of legal challenges Mr Trump has launched against the media.
In recent months, ABC News settled a separate case by donating $15 million to Mr Trump's presidential library and issuing a public apology over inaccurate on-air statements.
Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, paid $25 million to settle a lawsuit related to suspending Mr Trump's accounts following the January 6 Capitol riot.
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News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
Hamas says holding consultations on Gaza truce proposal
Hamas said Friday it was holding consultations with other Palestinian groups on a proposed truce with Israel, in a possible sign that it was preparing for negotiations for a Gaza ceasefire. The statement came ahead of a visit on Monday by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Washington, where President Donald Trump is pushing for an end to the war. The conflict in Gaza began with Hamas's unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which sparked a massive Israeli offensive aimed at destroying Hamas and bringing home all the hostages seized by militants. Two previous ceasefires mediated by Qatar, Egypt and the United States have seen temporary halts in fighting, coupled with the return of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. "The movement is conducting consultations with leaders of Palestinian forces and factions regarding the proposal received... from the mediators," Hamas said in a statement early Friday. Hours earlier, Netanyahu vowed to bring home all the hostages held by militants in Gaza, after coming under massive domestic pressure over their fate. "I feel a deep commitment, first and foremost, to ensure the return of all our abductees, all of them," Netanyahu said. Trump said on Thursday he wanted "safety for the people of Gaza". "They've gone through hell," he said. - 60-day truce proposal - A Palestinian source familiar with the negotiations told AFP earlier this week there were no fundamental changes in the latest proposal compared to previous terms presented by the United States. The source said the proposal "includes a 60-day truce, during which Hamas would release half of the living Israeli captives in the Gaza Strip -- thought to number 22 -- in exchange for Israel releasing a number of Palestinian prisoners and detainees". Out of 251 hostages seized by Palestinian militants during the October 7 attack, 49 are still held in Gaza, including 27 the Israeli military says are dead. The military said in a statement it had been striking suspected Hamas targets across the territory, including around Gaza City in the north and Khan Yunis and Rafah in the south. Nearly 21 months of war have created dire humanitarian conditions for the more than two million people in the Gaza Strip, where Israel has recently expanded its military operations against Hamas militants. - Deadly Israeli fire - Gaza civil defence official Mohammad al-Mughayyir said Israeli fire killed at least 40 people on Friday, updating an earlier toll of 15. The Israeli military said it was looking into the reports, except two incidents for which it requested coordinates and timeframes. Media restrictions in Gaza and difficulties in accessing many areas mean AFP is unable to independently verify the tolls and details provided by the civil defence agency. Mughayyir said those killed included five who were shot while waiting for humanitarian aid near a US-run site near Rafah in southern Gaza and one who was waiting for aid near the Wadi Gaza Bridge in the centre of the territory. They were the latest in a spate of deadly shootings near aid distribution centres in the devastated territory, which UN agencies have warned is on the brink of famine. At Nasser hospital in Khan Yunis, crowds mourned people killed on Thursday by what the civil defence agency said was shooting close to a nearby aid centre. "I lost my brother in the American distribution centre that they set up to feed people," cried one mourner, Narmin Abu Muammar. "They are killing people, not feeding them." Bereaved mother Nidaa al-Farra said her 19-year-old son Eyad too had been killed while waiting for food. "My son went to get flour and they say: 'Here is the aid, come here.' And when they go, they shoot them." The US- and Israeli-run Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has distanced itself from reports of deadly incidents near its sites. - Strikes reported on displacement camps - The civil defence official told AFP that eight people, including a child, were killed in an Israeli air strike on the tents of displaced civilians near Khan Yunis. Mughayyir said eight more people were killed in two other strikes on camps on the coast, including one that killed two children early Friday. Contacted by AFP on the earlier toll, the Israeli military said it could not comment on specific attacks without precise coordinates, but noted it was "operating to dismantle Hamas military capabilities". The Hamas attack of October 2023 resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures. Israel's retaliatory military campaign has killed at least 57,130 people in Gaza, also mostly civilians, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry. The United Nations considers the figures reliable.
The Advertiser
an hour ago
- The Advertiser
Israeli kills 15 in Gaza as Trump waits for Hamas reply
At least 15 Palestinians have been killed in an Israeli air strike in Gaza, according to local health officials, as US President Donald Trump says he expects Hamas to respond to his "final proposal" for a ceasefire in Gaza in the next 24 hours. Health officials at the Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, said the Israeli military had carried out an air strike on a tent encampment west of the city early on Friday, killing 15 Palestinians displaced by nearly two years of war. The Israeli military had no immediate comment. Later on Friday, Palestinians gathered to perform funeral prayers before burying those killed overnight. "The ceasefire will come, and I have lost my brother? There should have been a ceasefire long ago before I lost my brother," said 13-year-old Mayar Al Farr as she wept. Her brother, Mahmoud, was among those killed. Trump earlier said it would probably be known in 24 hours whether Hamas has accepted a ceasefire between the Palestinian militant group and Israel. On Tuesday, the president announced that Israel had accepted the conditions needed to finalise a 60-day ceasefire with Hamas, during which the parties would work towards ending the war. Hamas, which has previously declared it would only agree to a deal for a permanent end to the war, has said it was studying the proposal, but given no public indication whether it would accept or reject it. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is yet to comment on Trump's ceasefire announcement. While some members of his right-wing coalition oppose a deal, others have indicated their support. Netanyahu has repeatedly said Hamas must be disarmed, a position the militant group has refused to discuss. In Tel Aviv, families and friends of hostages held in Gaza were among demonstrators who gathered outside a US embassy building on US Independence Day, calling on Trump to secure a deal for all of the captives. Demonstrators set up a symbolic Shabbat dinner table, placing 50 empty chairs to represent those who are still held in Gaza. Banners hung nearby displaying a post by Trump from his Truth Social platform that read, "MAKE THE DEAL IN GAZA. GET THE HOSTAGES BACK!!!" The Sabbath, or Shabbat, observed from Friday evening to Saturday nightfall, is often marked by Jewish families with a traditional Friday night dinner. The war began when Hamas fighters stormed into Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1200 people and taking 251 hostages back to Gaza, according to Israeli tallies. Israel's subsequent military assault has killed more than 57,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza health ministry, while displacing most of the population of more than two million, triggering widespread hunger and leaving much of the territory in ruins. At least 15 Palestinians have been killed in an Israeli air strike in Gaza, according to local health officials, as US President Donald Trump says he expects Hamas to respond to his "final proposal" for a ceasefire in Gaza in the next 24 hours. Health officials at the Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, said the Israeli military had carried out an air strike on a tent encampment west of the city early on Friday, killing 15 Palestinians displaced by nearly two years of war. The Israeli military had no immediate comment. Later on Friday, Palestinians gathered to perform funeral prayers before burying those killed overnight. "The ceasefire will come, and I have lost my brother? There should have been a ceasefire long ago before I lost my brother," said 13-year-old Mayar Al Farr as she wept. Her brother, Mahmoud, was among those killed. Trump earlier said it would probably be known in 24 hours whether Hamas has accepted a ceasefire between the Palestinian militant group and Israel. On Tuesday, the president announced that Israel had accepted the conditions needed to finalise a 60-day ceasefire with Hamas, during which the parties would work towards ending the war. Hamas, which has previously declared it would only agree to a deal for a permanent end to the war, has said it was studying the proposal, but given no public indication whether it would accept or reject it. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is yet to comment on Trump's ceasefire announcement. While some members of his right-wing coalition oppose a deal, others have indicated their support. Netanyahu has repeatedly said Hamas must be disarmed, a position the militant group has refused to discuss. In Tel Aviv, families and friends of hostages held in Gaza were among demonstrators who gathered outside a US embassy building on US Independence Day, calling on Trump to secure a deal for all of the captives. Demonstrators set up a symbolic Shabbat dinner table, placing 50 empty chairs to represent those who are still held in Gaza. Banners hung nearby displaying a post by Trump from his Truth Social platform that read, "MAKE THE DEAL IN GAZA. GET THE HOSTAGES BACK!!!" The Sabbath, or Shabbat, observed from Friday evening to Saturday nightfall, is often marked by Jewish families with a traditional Friday night dinner. The war began when Hamas fighters stormed into Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1200 people and taking 251 hostages back to Gaza, according to Israeli tallies. Israel's subsequent military assault has killed more than 57,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza health ministry, while displacing most of the population of more than two million, triggering widespread hunger and leaving much of the territory in ruins. At least 15 Palestinians have been killed in an Israeli air strike in Gaza, according to local health officials, as US President Donald Trump says he expects Hamas to respond to his "final proposal" for a ceasefire in Gaza in the next 24 hours. Health officials at the Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, said the Israeli military had carried out an air strike on a tent encampment west of the city early on Friday, killing 15 Palestinians displaced by nearly two years of war. The Israeli military had no immediate comment. Later on Friday, Palestinians gathered to perform funeral prayers before burying those killed overnight. "The ceasefire will come, and I have lost my brother? There should have been a ceasefire long ago before I lost my brother," said 13-year-old Mayar Al Farr as she wept. Her brother, Mahmoud, was among those killed. Trump earlier said it would probably be known in 24 hours whether Hamas has accepted a ceasefire between the Palestinian militant group and Israel. On Tuesday, the president announced that Israel had accepted the conditions needed to finalise a 60-day ceasefire with Hamas, during which the parties would work towards ending the war. Hamas, which has previously declared it would only agree to a deal for a permanent end to the war, has said it was studying the proposal, but given no public indication whether it would accept or reject it. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is yet to comment on Trump's ceasefire announcement. While some members of his right-wing coalition oppose a deal, others have indicated their support. Netanyahu has repeatedly said Hamas must be disarmed, a position the militant group has refused to discuss. In Tel Aviv, families and friends of hostages held in Gaza were among demonstrators who gathered outside a US embassy building on US Independence Day, calling on Trump to secure a deal for all of the captives. Demonstrators set up a symbolic Shabbat dinner table, placing 50 empty chairs to represent those who are still held in Gaza. Banners hung nearby displaying a post by Trump from his Truth Social platform that read, "MAKE THE DEAL IN GAZA. GET THE HOSTAGES BACK!!!" The Sabbath, or Shabbat, observed from Friday evening to Saturday nightfall, is often marked by Jewish families with a traditional Friday night dinner. The war began when Hamas fighters stormed into Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1200 people and taking 251 hostages back to Gaza, according to Israeli tallies. Israel's subsequent military assault has killed more than 57,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza health ministry, while displacing most of the population of more than two million, triggering widespread hunger and leaving much of the territory in ruins. At least 15 Palestinians have been killed in an Israeli air strike in Gaza, according to local health officials, as US President Donald Trump says he expects Hamas to respond to his "final proposal" for a ceasefire in Gaza in the next 24 hours. Health officials at the Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, said the Israeli military had carried out an air strike on a tent encampment west of the city early on Friday, killing 15 Palestinians displaced by nearly two years of war. The Israeli military had no immediate comment. Later on Friday, Palestinians gathered to perform funeral prayers before burying those killed overnight. "The ceasefire will come, and I have lost my brother? There should have been a ceasefire long ago before I lost my brother," said 13-year-old Mayar Al Farr as she wept. Her brother, Mahmoud, was among those killed. Trump earlier said it would probably be known in 24 hours whether Hamas has accepted a ceasefire between the Palestinian militant group and Israel. On Tuesday, the president announced that Israel had accepted the conditions needed to finalise a 60-day ceasefire with Hamas, during which the parties would work towards ending the war. Hamas, which has previously declared it would only agree to a deal for a permanent end to the war, has said it was studying the proposal, but given no public indication whether it would accept or reject it. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is yet to comment on Trump's ceasefire announcement. While some members of his right-wing coalition oppose a deal, others have indicated their support. Netanyahu has repeatedly said Hamas must be disarmed, a position the militant group has refused to discuss. In Tel Aviv, families and friends of hostages held in Gaza were among demonstrators who gathered outside a US embassy building on US Independence Day, calling on Trump to secure a deal for all of the captives. Demonstrators set up a symbolic Shabbat dinner table, placing 50 empty chairs to represent those who are still held in Gaza. Banners hung nearby displaying a post by Trump from his Truth Social platform that read, "MAKE THE DEAL IN GAZA. GET THE HOSTAGES BACK!!!" The Sabbath, or Shabbat, observed from Friday evening to Saturday nightfall, is often marked by Jewish families with a traditional Friday night dinner. The war began when Hamas fighters stormed into Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1200 people and taking 251 hostages back to Gaza, according to Israeli tallies. Israel's subsequent military assault has killed more than 57,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza health ministry, while displacing most of the population of more than two million, triggering widespread hunger and leaving much of the territory in ruins.
Herald Sun
2 hours ago
- Herald Sun
Donald Trump says White House will host UFC fight for America250
US President Donald Trump stunningly announced that there would be a UFC fight with up to 25,000 spectators at the White House next year to celebrate America's upcoming 250th birthday. Mr Trump, 79, is a close friend of Dana White, the CEO of UFC, aka the Ultimate Fighting Championship, and attended a fight last month in Newark. 'Every one of our national parks, battlefields and historic sites are going to have special events in honor of 'America250' and I even think we're going to have a UFC fight,' he said in a speech at the Iowa State Fairgrounds. 'Does anybody watch UFC? The great Dana White? We're going to have a UFC fight. We're going to have a UFC fight — think of this — on the grounds of the White House. We have a lot of land there. 'We're going to build a little — we're not, Dana is going to do it. Dana is great, one of a kind — going to be UFC fight, championship fight, full fight, like 20,000 to 25,000 people, and we're going to do that as part of '250' also. 'We're going to have some incredible events, some professional events, some amateur events. But the UFC fight is going to be a big deal, too.' This story was originally published on The New York Post. FOLLOW UPDATES BELOW: TRUMP WINS MAJOR VICTORY AS FLAGSHIP BILL PASSES CONGRESS US President Donald Trump on Thursday secured a major political victory when Congress narrowly passed his flagship tax and spending bill, cementing his radical second-term agenda and boosting funds for his anti-immigration drive. The bill underlined the president's dominance over the Republican Party, which had been wracked by misgivings over a text that will balloon the national debt and gut health and welfare support. A small group of opponents in the party finally fell into line after Speaker Mike Johnson worked through the night to corral dissenters in the House of Representatives behind the 'One Big Beautiful Bill.' The bill squeezed past a final vote 218-214, meaning it can be on Trump's desk to be signed into law on the July 4th Independence Day holiday. 'One of the most consequential Bills ever. The USA is the 'HOTTEST' Country in the World, by far!!!' Trump said on social media as he scented victory. The timing of the vote slipped back as Democratic minority leader Hakeem Jeffries spoke against the bill for nearly nine hours to delay proceedings. The legislative win is the latest in a series of successes for Mr Trump, including a Supreme Court ruling last week that curbed lone judges from blocking his policies, and US air strikes that led to a ceasefire between Israel and Iran. His sprawling mega-bill just passed the Senate on Tuesday and had to return to the lower chamber for a rubber stamp of the senators' revisions. The package honours many of President Trump's campaign promises: boosting military spending, funding a mass migrant deportation drive and committing $4.5 trillion to extend his first-term tax relief. 'Today we are laying a key cornerstone of America's new Golden Age,' Johnston said. But it is expected to pile an extra $3.4 trillion over a decade onto the country's fast-growing deficits, while shrinking the federal food assistance program and forcing through the largest cuts to the Medicaid health insurance scheme for low-income Americans since its 1960s launch. Some estimates put the total number of recipients set to lose their insurance coverage under the bill at 17 million. Scores of rural hospitals are expected to close. While Republican moderates in the House fear the cuts will damage their prospects of re-election, fiscal hawks chafed over savings that they say fall far short of what was promised. Johnson had to negotiate tight margins, and could only lose a handful of politicians in the final vote, among more than two dozen who had earlier declared themselves open to rejecting Mr Trump's 869-page text. Mr Trump has spent weeks hitting the phones and hosting White House meetings to cajole politicians torn between angering welfare recipients at home and incurring the president's wrath. Democrats hope public opposition to the bill will help them flip the House in the 2026 midterm election, pointing to data showing that it represents a huge redistribution of wealth from the poorest Americans to the richest. Mr Jeffries held the floor for his Democrats ahead of the final vote, as he told stories of everyday Americans who he argued would be harmed by Mr Trump's legislation. 'This bill, this one big, ugly bill - this reckless Republican budget, this disgusting abomination - is not about improving the quality of life of the American people,' he said. Extra spending on the military and border security will be paid in part through ending clean energy and electric vehicle subsidies - a factor triggering a bitter public feud between President Trump and former supporter Elon Musk. TRUMP GEARS UP TO CELEBRATE 250 YEARS OF US INDEPENDENCE US President Donald Trump visits the midwestern state of Iowa on Thursday to kick off a year-long celebration of America's 250th birthday - and tout his own second-term presidency. The Republican will deliver a campaign-style speech followed by fireworks, hot on the heels of what he hopes will be Congress passing his 'big, beautiful' tax and spending bill. It also comes the day before Independence Day on July 4, and has been sold by Mr Trump as the start of celebrations to mark two and a half centuries since the foundation of the United States. But as with a huge military parade in Washington for the US army's 250th birthday last month, it reflects Mr Trump's growing tendency to use the semiquincentennial festivities to boost his own image. 'I am thrilled to announce that I will be travelling to one of my favourite places in the World, beautiful Iowa … to kick off the very beginning of our exciting Celebration of America's 250th Anniversary!' Mr Trump said on Truth Social earlier this week. 'Iowa voted for me THREE TIMES, because they love my Policies for our Wonderful Farmers and Small Businesses, and they LOVE AMERICA!' President Trump, 79, also said he would also be talking about how his trade policies affect farmers, a key demographic in Iowa and one of the voter groups that helped propel him to a second term in the White House. He is set to say that his hard line tariff negotiations with countries around the world, which have caused jitters on the markets, will benefit working class Americans. The America 250 committee, which is organising the events over the next year, said the 'Salute to America' event at the Iowa State Fairgrounds would also feature 'patriotic entertainment and fireworks.' Iowa is well known as one of the first stops for primary campaigns in US presidential elections. Mr Trump won the state by 13 points in 2024. He also easily took it in 2016 when he won the presidency for the first time - and in 2020 when he lost the White House to Democrat Joe Biden. Mr Trump earlier this week dropped a federal lawsuit over an Iowa poll that wrongly forecast he would lose the state in November's election against Democratic nominee Kamala Harris. The president had sued renowned pollster Ann Selzer, her former employer the Des Moines Register, and the newspaper's parent company, Gannett, over a poll that showed him trailing Ms Harris by three points. The rally in a place famed for its role in US presidential elections will also throw the focus on who might succeed Mr Trump as Republican candidate in 2028. His second son Eric said last week that he and other relatives may run for public office, fuelling speculation of a Trump dynasty. Mr Trump meanwhile has repeatedly teased trying for a third term, despite it being barred by the US constitution. CANADA-US TRADE DROPS TO LOWEST ON RECORD Canada's trade with its neighbour to the south withered in May in the wake of a punishing tariff war launched by US President Donald Trump, the national statistical agency said Thursday. However Canada made up part of the shortfall with increased shipments to other nations. As exports to the United States fell for a fourth consecutive month, shipments to other nations rose to 'a record high,' said Statistics Canada. As a result, Canada's share of exports destined to the United States fell from a monthly average of 75.9 per cent to 68.3 per cent. The agency said this was 'one of the lowest proportions on record.' Imports from the United States were also down for a third consecutive month, it said. As a result, Canada's trade surplus with the United States widened slightly to Can$3.2 billion (US$2.4 billion). Prime Minister Mark Carney's liberal government and the Trump administration are in intense negotiations to try to reach a deal that would avert escalating tariffs. Mr Trump has imposed steep levies on imports of autos as well as steel and aluminium - two metals that Canada has historically shipped in large quantities to the United States. The North American auto sector is also highly integrated. Carney set a July 21 deadline for a new trade agreement. Without one, he said he would adjust Canada's 25 per cent counter tariffs on US steel and aluminium - in response to a recent doubling of US levies on the metals to 50 per cent. The month of May saw a 1.1 per cent increase in total Canadian exports, led by a jump in gold shipments to the United Kingdom. Canada also shipped more oil to Singapore, aluminium and pharmaceuticals to Italy, and pork to Japan. This rise was partially offset by lower exports of canola and oil to China. Total imports, meanwhile, fell 1.6 per cent as inbound shipments of motor vehicles and parts continued to fall. As a result, Canada's trade deficit with the world narrowed from a record $CAD7.6 billion in April to $CAD5.9 billion in May. - with AFP
