Shari Redstone Reveals Inside Details on Paramount’s Deal with Trump

New York, NY — Shari Redstone, the former controlling shareholder of Paramount Global, has opened up about the complexities involved in the company’s recent $8 billion merger with Skydance Media, led by David Ellison. In a candid interview with James Stewart of The New York Times, she shared insights from the 13-month negotiation process, particularly focusing on the controversial settlement with President Donald Trump.

The merger was significantly impacted by Trump’s lawsuit against CBS News over its editing of a 60 Minutes interview with Kamala Harris. Trump had alleged the interview was deceptively edited for the 2024 election campaign and initially sought $10 billion in damages. Redstone believed that settling the lawsuit was essential for securing the merger, stating, ‘We may not like the world we live in, but a board has to do what’s in the best interest of shareholders.’

By early 2025, internal discussions among Paramount executives revealed a range of potential settlement figures. Ultimately, Paramount agreed to pay $16 million to resolve the lawsuit without admitting any wrongdoing. Redstone expressed her surprise at the low settlement amount, saying, ‘I was blown away. How did they do it? I don’t know, and I didn’t ask.’

However, the deal brought new scrutiny. Trump alleged there was a side agreement for Skydance to provide pro-Trump programming, which Redstone claimed she was unaware of, adding, ‘I hope it isn’t true.’

Redstone also discussed her emotional decision to sell Paramount after the Hamas attacks in October 2023. ‘Once that happened, I wanted out. I wanted to support Israel and address issues around antisemitism and racism,’ she stated.

Despite being questioned about her motives and the timing of the settlement, Redstone maintained that it was the right course of action for Paramount. She reiterated, ‘The settlement was a no-brainer.’ The merger was formally completed on August 7, 2025, marking the end of the Redstone family’s lengthy involvement with the media giant.