By Joe Flint
President Trump said that he anticipates receiving advertising and public service ad commitments worth $20 million from Skydance Media, the company in the process of acquiring CBS parent Paramount Global.
The additional compensation would come on top of the $16 million the current owner agreed to pay earlier this month to settle Trump's lawsuit alleging election interference by the network's news magazine "60 Minutes."
In a social media post Tuesday Trump said, "We also anticipate receiving $20 Million Dollars more from the new Owners, in Advertising, PSAs, or similar Programming, for a total of over $36 Million Dollars. This is another in a long line of VICTORIES over the Fake News Media, who we are holding to account for their widespread fraud and deceit."
CBS has previously said its settlement of the "60 Minutes" suit does not include any additional compensation such as public service announcements.
A Skydance spokeswoman declined to comment.
Earlier this week, senators Elizabeth Warren (D., Mass.), Ron Wyden (D., Ore.) and Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.) sent a letter to Skydance Chief Executive David Ellison also seeking information about a potential side deal with Trump for public service announcements and other forms of compensation separate from the CBS settlement.
"Is there currently any arrangement under which you or Skydance will provide compensation, advertising, or promotional activities that in any way assist President Trump, his family, his presidential library, or other Administration officials?" the letter asked.
Skydance is still awaiting approval from the Federal Communications Commission for its deal to acquire Paramount Global.
Last week, Ellison met with FCC Chairman Brendan Carr and other senior officials at the regulatory agency as part of the approval process.
In an ex parte filing at the agency detailing the meeting, Skydance said it discussed its "commitment to unbiased journalism and its embrace of diverse viewpoints, principles that will ensure CBS's editorial decision-making reflects the varied ideological perspectives of American viewers."
Write to Joe Flint at Joe.Flint@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
July 22, 2025 15:53 ET (19:53 GMT)
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