CBS Rubbishes Trump’s Effort to Avoid Discovery in Lawsuit over Kamala Harris Interview

President Donald Trump and Representative Ronny Jackson are facing increasing pressure in their $20 billion lawsuit against CBS, as the network’s attorneys accuse the plaintiffs of failing to meet court-ordered discovery obligations. According to CBS’ 23-page motion to compel, the plaintiffs have not provided essential documents to substantiate their claims, delaying the case despite a due date last month. This legal battle revolves around allegations that Trump and Jackson suffered significant damages due to an October 2024 interview with then-vice President Kamala Harris.

Discovery Disputes: Trump and Jackson’s Delays

CBS claims that Trump and Jackson have not complied with the discovery process, which is essential for both parties to exchange evidence before trial. In the lawsuit, Trump demands damages for alleged financial losses to his media holdings, while Jackson seeks to prove substantial damages related to his career. However, CBS argues that neither plaintiff has provided critical evidence to support these claims, such as financial records related to Trump’s media company or information about additional media holdings. The motion to compel highlights that Trump has refused to produce key documents, including those related to the Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust, which holds shares of Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG). These shares form the basis of his damage claims. Similarly, the defendants argue that Trump has not provided information about his other media holdings, which would substantiate his competitive injury claim. The delay, CBS asserts, is causing significant prejudice and hindering its ability to defend itself against the claims.

Trump and Jackson’s Objections: Claims of Privilege

The plaintiffs’ legal team has raised several objections to the requested discovery, including claims of executive privilege, congressional privilege, and national security concerns. Trump and Jackson argue that certain documents should be withheld due to these privileges, especially since Trump was not in office during the 2024 interview. CBS, however, refutes these claims, stressing that the discovery requests do not pertain to Jackson’s legislative activities and that national security concerns are unfounded, particularly given that the information requested relates to events in October 2024, well after Trump’s presidency.

Despite these objections, CBS argues that the plaintiffs have not provided valid reasons for withholding the documents. The network highlights that the privilege claims do not hold water, especially since Trump was no longer in office at the time of the interview. Furthermore, CBS has suggested that Trump and Jackson could simply confirm whether they were in Texas during the interview instead of producing sensitive documents, but the plaintiffs have not agreed to this compromise.

Court Intervention and the Path Forward

The ongoing discovery dispute has led CBS and co-defendant Paramount Global to request the court’s intervention to compel the plaintiffs to produce the necessary documents. In the motion, the media defendants argue that they are being unfairly hindered in their ability to challenge the plaintiffs’ claims due to their lack of cooperation. The plaintiffs were granted extra time to provide their responses but have continued to delay, providing objections that CBS deems inappropriate.

Despite these tensions, CBS and Paramount are still willing to continue negotiations and are not seeking immediate sanctions. However, they are asking the court to preserve their rights under the scheduling order and compel the plaintiffs to produce the relevant documents. The media companies have also expressed skepticism about the validity of Trump’s $20 billion damages claim, arguing that the alleged financial losses are inherently implausible without the supporting evidence. The legal battle is likely to continue, with both sides preparing for further court proceedings to resolve the ongoing disputes.