Tue Apr 22 17:40:00 UTC 2025: ## “60 Minutes” Executive Producer Resigns Amidst Pressure from Trump and Paramount

**New York, NY** – Bill Owens, the executive producer of “60 Minutes,” resigned on Tuesday, citing a loss of journalistic independence due to mounting pressure from both President Trump and Paramount, the parent company of CBS News. Owens, only the third person to lead the program in its 57-year history, informed his staff in a memo that he could no longer make independent editorial decisions.

The resignation comes amidst a turbulent period for the news program. President Trump filed a $10 billion lawsuit against CBS, alleging “unlawful and illegal behavior,” specifically citing an October interview with Vice President Kamala Harris that he claims was deceptively edited. Paramount, whose controlling shareholder Shari Redstone is seeking approval for a multibillion-dollar sale to Skydance, has reportedly expressed a desire to settle the lawsuit to appease the Trump administration.

Owens, who previously refused to apologize for the interview, stated in his memo that he could no longer operate “60 Minutes” without compromising his journalistic integrity. Many CBS News journalists view a potential settlement with Trump as a capitulation to the president’s criticisms of editorial judgment. Legal experts have widely dismissed Trump’s lawsuit as baseless. The resignation leaves “60 Minutes” facing an uncertain future, raising concerns about potential compromises to its editorial independence.

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