President Donald Trump has expressed hope that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will punish CBS for airing “60 Minutes” reports he dislikes. The agency’s chairman, Brendan Carr, was promoted by Trump despite his own criticism of the network.
Trump wrote on Truth Social about his ongoing legal battle with CBS and Paramount Global, which is awaiting FCC approval to merge with Skydance Media. He hopes Carr will impose substantial fines for what he calls “unlawful and illegal behavior.” However, there is no evidence of wrongdoing by CBS.
The latest example of Trump’s pressure tactics comes after Carr described CBS as a “dishonest Political Operative” on Twitter. Carr has also launched investigations into several media outlets that Trump has criticized, including ABC and NBC. The FCC has yet to approve Paramount’s merger with Skydance Media, creating uncertainty for the company.
Trump has repeatedly called for networks he dislikes to be stripped of their licenses during his 2024 campaign. CBS was previously targeted twice, and its local stations are licensed by the FCC. Carr did not respond to CNN’s request for comment on Trump’s post.
The controversy surrounding “60 Minutes” stems from a 2020 interview with Kamala Harris, which was edited for time in accordance with TV news standards. Trump accused CBS of colluding to help Harris win the election and filed a lawsuit against the network. However, numerous attorneys have called the case frivolous, and a settlement has yet to materialize.
As the FCC review of Paramount’s merger continues, some experts believe that Trump’s actions may be motivated by a desire for leverage in exchange for approval. Journalists at CBS, including correspondent Lesley Stahl, have expressed concerns about the impact of Trump’s pressure on their work and the First Amendment.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/04/14/media/trump-fcc-60-minutes-cbs/index.html