Jake Tapper Isn’t Happy About CBS Refusing to Fight Trump Lawsuit [WATCH]

Longtime 60 Minutes executive producer Bill Owens resigned from CBS on Tuesday, citing an inability to operate independently amid growing pressure related to a $10 billion lawsuit filed by President Donald Trump against the network.

Owens’ departure has triggered public backlash from CNN’s Jake Tapper, who accused CBS parent company owner Shari Redstone of prioritizing a corporate merger over editorial independence.

Owens, 58, had led the iconic news program since 2019.

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In a memo to staff, he stated that he could no longer make “independent decisions based on what was right for 60 Minutes, right for the audience.”

His resignation followed escalating pressure tied to Trump’s legal action, which claims the network deceptively edited an October 2024 interview with then–Vice President Kamala Harris.

Remember Kamala’s word salad answer about Israel on 60 Minutes? It’s gone.

This is what many Americans will now see. pic.twitter.com/H4w7btDv6x

— MAZE (@mazemoore) October 8, 2024

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Trump alleges the edits helped shield Harris from scrutiny in the midst of the presidential campaign.

CBS producers have maintained the edits were made to fit time constraints and preserve clarity for broadcast, but the dispute has evolved into a broader corporate dilemma.

Redstone is currently pursuing a merger with Skydance Media, owned by Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison. The deal, reportedly worth billions, would require regulatory approval from the Federal Communications Commission, now chaired by Trump appointee Brendan Carr.

During a segment on The Lead, CNN anchor Jake Tapper criticized Redstone, accusing her of caving to pressure in order to secure the merger.

“It seems as if Shari Redstone is likely to bend the knee to Trump and settle this allegedly frivolous lawsuit,” Tapper said.

He emphasized Redstone’s potential $8 billion windfall if the merger is approved.

Tapper also shared statements from unnamed 60 Minutes sources who expressed support for Owens.

One described his exit as “shameful,” adding that Owens “fought for the broadcast and for independent journalism, and that cost him his job.”

Another source characterized Owens as someone who had “dedicated his life to CBS,” saying his resignation was a final act to defend journalistic integrity.

“It’s like a guy who has been battling for months against an attack, unable to defend the broadcast from inappropriate corporate influence. He pulls the pin from his last grenade,” the source said.

Tensions reportedly escalated in recent weeks after Skydance executive Jeff Shell, a former NBCUniversal CEO, suggested sharing the unedited Harris interview transcript with President Trump as a means of defusing the lawsuit.

That proposal was quickly rejected by both Owens and CBS News President Wendy McMahon. Sources say the suggestion further strained internal relations between CBS News and corporate leadership involved in the merger negotiations.

Redstone and Skydance face a July deadline to finalize the deal. The involvement of David Ellison, son of Larry Ellison and CEO of Skydance, has added another layer of scrutiny.

Ellison was photographed sitting with Trump at UFC 314 in Miami just days before the president once again criticized CBS and 60 Minutes on his Truth Social platform.

CBS insiders have described an increasingly divided newsroom, with some staff aligning with Owens and McMahon and others more closely aligned with corporate leadership and Skydance.

Amid the controversy, McMahon released a note to staff reiterating her commitment to 60 Minutes.

“The mission and the work remain our priority,” she wrote.

Owens, in his own message, praised McMahon’s support, writing, “She agrees that 60 Minutes needs to be run by a 60 Minutes producer.”

The fallout from the lawsuit, the merger negotiations, and Owens’ resignation has left the future of CBS News, and one of its most recognizable programs, in question.

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