WASHINGTON: A US senator renewed calls on Wednesday for a bribery investigation into Paramount following its $16 million settlement with President Donald Trump over a lawsuit the entertainment giant initially described as meritless.

The president had sued the CBS News parent company for $20 billion, claiming the “60 Minutes” programme had deceptively edited an interview with his 2024 election rival Kamala Harris in her favor.

The suit is described by Trump’s critics as part of a broader assault on press freedom that has seen him bar The Associated Press from the Oval Office and sue other media organisations over their coverage.

Paramount nevertheless entered into mediation in a bid to placate Trump, as it seeks to close its $8 billion merger with the entertainment company Skydance, which needs federal government approval.

“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,” said Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, a Democrat.

“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.” Warren was among three senators who wrote to Paramount Global Chair Shari Redstone in May with bribery concerns over the company’s efforts to settle the suit, calling for a congressional probe.

Republicans control both chambers of Congress, limiting the power of Democrats to investigate or compel answers from witnesses. The senators’ letter came after CBS News head Wendy McMahon and “60 Minutes” executive producer Bill Owens quit over Paramount’s handling of the showdown with Trump.

Published in Dawn, July 3rd, 2025