October 10, 2025

Warren, Sanders, Wyden Question Skydance’s Refusal to Address Trump “Secret Side Deal”

“Your refusal to answer questions, including your refusal to address reports of a side deal, leaves key unanswered questions…[including] whether the existence of such a side deal may run afoul of federal bribery laws.” 

Text of Letter to Paramount Skydance (PDF) | July Response from Skydance (PDF)

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) wrote to Paramount Skydance, continuing their investigation into Skydance’s potential side deal with President Trump prior to securing approval of Skydance’s merger with Paramount. In a July response to an earlier letter from the senators, Skydance refused to answer questions about the existence of such a deal, but revealed that “Skydance executives and its representatives have had routine and customary interactions with government officials, including with the Administration, Congress, and federal regulators.”

“The public deserves to know which White House officials met with Skydance executives, and if Skydance cut a side deal with the President in order to grease the skids for its merger approval,” said the senators.

In July, Paramount agreed to pay President Trump $16 million to settle a lawsuit against its subsidiary, CBS, regarding editing of a “60 Minutes” interview with presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris. Under the settlement agreement, Paramount agreed to pay President Trump’s legal fees, with the rest of the settlement going toward his Presidential Library fund. At the time of the lawsuit, Paramount was awaiting approval from President Trump’s Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for its merger with Skydance. Weeks after Paramount settled the lawsuit, the FCC approved Paramount’s merger with Skydance.

In July, the senators wrote to Paramount and Skydance asking about a reported “secret side deal” with President Trump and whether the deal was connected to approval of the merger. While Paramount denied the deal was part of their settlement, Skydance’s response provided no clarity on Skydance’s own role in the “secret side deal.”

“Your refusal to answer questions, including your refusal to address reports of a side deal, leaves key unanswered questions…[including] whether the existence of such a side deal may run afoul of federal bribery laws,” said the senators.

These answers are all the more critical given President Trump’s recent comments regarding media companies. Last month, Trump stated: “I can’t believe ABC Fake News gave Jimmy Kimmel his job back… Last time I went after [ABC], they gave me $16 Million Dollars. This one sounds even more lucrative.”

In order to inform them in their legislative responsibilities regarding corruption, government ethics, and the operations of the FCC and other federal agencies, the senators asked the newly merged company, Paramount Skydance, to reply by October 23, 2025, addressing:

  • Whether there is a formal or unwritten deal for the company or any of its affiliates to provide money, advertising, or promotional activities to President Trump, his family, his Presidential Library, or other administration officials; and
  • Whether Skydance executives met with Trump administration officials, including President Trump, his Chief of Staff, the FCC Chair, or anyone else, and the nature of those discussions.

Senator Warren continues to fight against corporate media consolidation and the Trump administration’s disturbing efforts to silence free speech:

  • On September 30, 2025, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) joined Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Ct.) in hosting a spotlight forum about President Trump and Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr's abuse of government authority to restrict First Amendment-protected speech and independent, fact-based news reporting.
  • On September 23, 2025, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), along with Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), pressed broadcasters Nexstar and Sinclair for answers as to why Jimmy Kimmel was pulled off the air.
  • On September 23, 2025, Senator Warren released a statement after Nexstar Media Group’s and Sinclair’s decisions to continue to preempt Jimmy Kimmel Live! on ABC affiliate stations.
  • On August 1, 2025, Senator Warren released a statement following Paramount’s and Skydance’s responses to her recent letters.
  • On July 24, 2025, Senator Warren responded to the Trump administration’s approval of the Paramount-Skydance megamerger, saying “bribery is illegal no matter who is president.”
  • On July 23, 2025, Senator Warren published an op-ed in Variety: “Elizabeth Warren on Colbert’s ‘Late Show’ Cancellation: Is the Paramount Trump Payoff a Bribe?”
  • On July 21, 2025, Senators Warren, Sanders (I-Vt.), and Wyden (D-Ore.) pressed David Ellison, CEO of Skydance, about reports of a secret deal between Skydance and President Trump — and how it may be related to Paramount’s recent multi-million-dollar settlement agreement with Trump.
  • On July 17, 2025, Senators Warren and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), along with Representatives Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.), Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.), and lawmakers in Congress, unveiled the Presidential Library Anti-Corruption Act to close loopholes that allow presidential libraries to be used as tools for corruption and bribery.
  • On July 2, 2025, Senator Warren called for an investigation into Paramount’s settlement with Trump.
  • On February 19, 2025, Senator Warren wrote to Omeed Assefi, acting DOJ assistant attorney general, asking the agency to look into, and potentially block, a Jan. 6 deal that would have Disney merge its Hulu+ Live TV business with Fubo.

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