Rosie O’Donnell Criticizes CBS’s Settlement with Trump

Comedian Rosie O’Donnell has criticized CBS for its $16 million settlement with President Donald Trump, accusing the network of “capitulating” to pressure. O’Donnell expressed her views during an appearance on “Bleep! with Ana Navarro.” She claimed the settlement undermines an independent press and referred to it as a “bribe.”

O’Donnell referenced former CBS late-night host Stephen Colbert, who previously used similar language to describe the situation. Both see the settlement as a harmful precedent for media independence.

The legal case involved CBS’s editing of an October 2024 “60 Minutes” interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris. Trump’s legal team alleged that CBS edited Harris’s comments to favor her during the presidential election. CBS and Paramount Global settled without admitting any wrongdoing.

The agreement mandates covering legal costs and contributing to Trump’s future presidential library or charitable causes. A Trump spokesperson argued the settlement showcased the strength of their case.

O’Donnell voiced concerns about the lack of a robust, independent media in the United States. She believes media should be more vibrant and critical of the government and accused CBS of compromising those standards.

Meanwhile, Colbert criticized CBS’s settlement, suggesting it might be a financial maneuver due to Paramount’s pending merger with Skydance Media. The Federal Communications Commission approved the merger, which closed in August 2025.

CBS maintained the lawsuit was unrelated to the Skydance merger and its approval process. Despite these denials, Colbert’s show, “The Late Show,” was canceled in May 2026, though CBS stated the decision was unrelated to the lawsuit or Colbert’s content.