'60 Minutes' producer resigns amid court battle with Trump

Bill Owens, the producer of 60 Minutes, announced his resignation on Tuesday amid a court battle launched by Donald Trump against the CBS News program, which is owned by Paramount.

"In recent months, it has become clear that I will no longer be allowed to run the show as I always have. Make independent decisions based on what is right for 60 Minutes and for the audience," Owens wrote to his team.

The program, which consistently critiques the Trump administration, attracts around 10 million viewers each Sunday for its interviews with prominent figures and reports on U.S. society or conflict zones.

In late 2024, Donald Trump filed a lawsuit against 60 Minutes, accusing the program of manipulating an interview conducted on October 7 with Kamala Harris. Meanwhile, Elon Musk called for "long prison sentences" for the team responsible for the interview.

The editing and manipulation of the interview with the former U.S. vice president were widely perceived by Republicans as election interference.

Trump's lawyer, Ed Palzik, told Fox News Digital: "CBS and Paramount committed the worst kind of election interference and voter fraud in the final days of the most important presidential election in history."

Trump is demanding $20 billion in damages from the network, leaving the possibility of mediation with Paramount still on the table.

The dispute comes against the backdrop of a proposed merger between CBS News, Paramount, and Skydance, which requires approval from the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (FCC), chaired by Brendan Carr, a Trump ally.

End of DEI policies at CBS and Paramount.

Similarly, Owens' resignation was announced in the same week that America First Legal secured an amicable resolution in favor of Brian Beneker, the former SEAL Team screenwriter, who had been denied job opportunities due to the company's DEI policies.

"That the head of 60 Minutes resigned the same week that CBS settled a major discrimination lawsuit is further evidence of his reckless disregard for the truth and the law. President Trump will take this vital matter to its just and legitimate conclusion," Palzik added.