Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren is calling for an investigation into Paramount's $16 million settlement with President Donald Trump as the entertainment giant awaits federal approval for a pending merger.
"This looks like bribery in plain sight," Warren wrote in an X post shared Wednesday. "Paramount folded at the same time it needs Trump's approval for a billion-dollar merger."
"I'm calling for an investigation into whether any anti-bribery laws were broken, and I'm working on a new bill to rein in this kind of corruption," Warren added.
This looks like bribery in plain sight.
— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) July 2, 2025
Paramount folded at the same time it needs Trump's approval for a billion-dollar merger.
I’m calling for an investigation into whether any anti-bribery laws were broken, and I'm working on a new bill to rein in this kind of corruption. https://t.co/xdkNpe75co
In October 2024, Trump filed a $10 billion lawsuit against CBS News and its parent company, Paramount, alleging defamation over a "60 Minutes" interview with then–presidential nominee and Vice President Kamala Harris, PBS News reported.
Trump claimed an interview segment concerning the Middle East was deceptively edited to portray Harris more favorably. In February, he amended the complaint, increasing the demand to $20 billion and adding federal claims of false advertising and unfair competition.
On Tuesday, Paramount agreed to a $16 million settlement, according to CBS News, which will be paid out as a contribution to Trump's future presidential library and coverage of the plaintiffs' legal fees and costs. The agreement comes as Paramount Global awaits federal approval for its proposed $8 billion merger with Skydance Media.
In recent weeks, lawmakers, regulatory experts and shareholders have raised concerns that Paramount's controlling shareholder, Shari Redstone, and others involved in the settlement could face potential bribery allegations, Deadline reported.
Critics have argued the financial settlement was made in exchange for Trump smoothing the path to regulatory approval, mirroring lawsuits and political battles he has waged against Disney and NBCUniversal.
Originally published on Latin Times
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