Trump claims $30m in free advertising from Paramount settlement
US President Donald Trump has claimed he will receive an additional A$30 million in free on-air promotions in addition to his $24m settlement with Paramount.
Trump took to his Truth Social platform overnight to boast about the “big and important win” he has achieved in his “historical lawsuit against 60 Minutes, CBS, and Paramount.”
Earlier this month, Paramount– owners of Network 10 in Australia — settled a US$20 billion suit brought by Trump in October, alleging a Kamala Harris interview that aired on 60 Minutes ahead of the election was deceptively edited, at the direction of Harris’ campaign team, to “tip the scales in favour of the Democratic Party”.
Although CBS initially claimed the suit was “completely without merit”, it later agreed to settle for US$16 million.
The payment has been characterised by some commentators as a bribe because Paramount is seeking approval for a merger with Skydance. The merger must be approved by US regulator the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
In his post, Trump confirmed the US$16 million had been paid by Paramount, and added, “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.”
Trump is claiming a US$36 million payday from Paramount.
Trump’s post continued: “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. The Wall Street Journal, The Failing New York Times, The Washington Post, MSDNC, CNN, and all other Mainstream Media Liars, are ON NOTICE that the days of them being allowed to deceive the American People are OVER. ”
Trump made similar claims to reporters at an airbase on July 7, saying: “We did a deal for about $16 million plus $16 million, or maybe more than that in advertising. So it’s a combination of 16 plus 16-plus. So it’s like $32 to maybe $35 million.”
Paramount Global initially denied Trump’s claims but has not commented on his latest post.
“Contrary to some news reports or media speculation, Paramount’s settlement with President Trump does not include PSAs or anything related to PSAs,” the company said, upon Trump’s initial comments.
“Paramount has no knowledge of any promises or commitments made to President Trump other than those set forth in the settlement proposed by the mediator and accepted by the parties.”
Paramount’s parent company National Amusements is seeking approval from the FCC to approve the proposed US$8.4 billion merger with Skydance Media.
Democrat senator Elizabeth Warren has called for a bribery investigation into the matter.
“With Paramount folding to Donald Trump at the same time the company needs his administration’s approval for its billion-dollar merger, this could be bribery in plain sight,” she said.
“Paramount has refused to provide answers to a congressional inquiry, so I’m calling for a full investigation into whether or not any anti-bribery laws were broken.”
Senator Bernie Sanders, a longtime opponent of Trump, said “Paramount’s decision [to settle] will only embolden Trump to continue attacking, suing and intimidating the media which he has labelled ‘the enemy of the people’.”
Paramount claims the agreement upon settlement is “completely separate from, and unrelated to, the Skydance transaction and the FCC approval process.”
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Nathan Jolly is the Features Editor at Mumbrella. He joined the team in July, 2023.
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