Shari Redstone, the former controlling shareholder for Paramount, called the company’s $16 million settlement with Trump a “no-brainer.”
In July, Paramount agreed to settle Trump’s lawsuit against CBS, agreeing to pay $16 million over an edited interview of former presidential candidate Kamala Harris. Paramount said the settlement will also include Trump’s legal fees and costs, adding that the $16 million, minus the legal costs, will go toward Trump’s presidential library.
“As part of the settlement, Paramount also agreed to release transcripts of ’60 Minutes’ interviews with eligible U.S. presidential candidates after such interviews have aired, subject to redactions as required for legal or national security concerns. The settlement does not include an apology,” noted the New York Times.
Shari Redstone reportedly wanted to explore a settlement with Trump, with some speculating that it may have stemmed from needing the Trump administration’s approval in a multi-billion dollar sale of the company to Skydance. Speaking with the New York Times, Redstone said she was pleased with the final outcome.
“I believe it was always in Paramount’s best interest to settle,” Redstone said. “We may not like the world we live in, but a board has to do what’s in the best interest of shareholders.”
“How did they do it? I don’t know, and I didn’t ask,” she said, adding that the deal was a “no-brainer.”
(L-R) Nancy Spielberg and Shari Redstone attend the NYC Screening of The Children of October 7 at Paley Center For Media on April 22, 2025 in New York City. (Roy Rochlin/Getty Images for Paramount+ and MTV Documentary Films)
Redstone also said critics of the deal were speaking out of ignorance. She also thought the president’s lawsuit could help root out anti-Israel bias at CBS.
“We needed more balance,” she said, adding, “Part of me thought, maybe Trump could accomplish what I never got done.”
In the same interview, Redstone also said that reactions to October 7 — the massacring of an estimated 1,200 Israelis and subsequent kidnapping by Hamas — influenced her decision to sell CBS.
“Once that happened, I wanted out,” she told the Times. “I wanted to support Israel, and address issues around antisemitism and racism.”
Paul Roland Bois directed the award-winning Christian tech thriller, EXEMPLUM, which has a 100% Rotten Tomatoes critic rating and can be viewed for FREE on YouTube, Tubi, or Fawesome TV. “Better than Killers of the Flower Moon,” wrote Mark Judge. “You haven’t seen a story like this before,” wrote Christian Toto. A high-quality, ad-free rental can also be streamed on Google Play, Vimeo on Demand, or YouTube Movies. Follow him on X @prolandfilms or Instagram @prolandfilms.
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