As July began, Paramount paid $16 million to settle a Trump civil suit. As July ended, Trump's FCC appointees approved Paramount’s $8 billion merger deal.

Plus, Hulk Hogan, the pro wrestler who brought the sport to new heights of mainstream popularity, died at the age of 71.

McCarthy became co-CEO of Paramount, alongside George Cheeks and Brian Robbins, in April 2024. The trio took on the role after the ouster of Bob Bakish as the company was in its first round of negotiations with Skydance. McCarthy is also president of Showtime/MTV Entertainment and oversees the company’s streaming platforms Paramount+ and Pluto TV.

"New York Times" White House correspondent Peter Baker on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" expressed his displeasure with the Trump administration for approving the Skydance-Paramount merger. JOE SCARBOROUGH, HOST: It took a while.

Federal regulators on Thursday approved Paramount's $8 billion merger with Skydance, clearing the way to close a deal that combined Hollywood glitz with political intrigue. The stamp of approval from the Federal Communications Commission comes after months of turmoil revolving around President Donald Trump’s legal battle with “60

Shares of Paramount are set to open higher Friday after long-awaited FCC approval for its merger erased a big question mark hovering over the company's future, but amid ongoing uncertainty about its strategic plans under Skydance Media.

"Morning Joe" host Joe Scarborough delivered his reaction to the Paramount-Skydance merger recently approved by the Trump administration. JOE SCARBOROUGH: Right, and they're very ideological, as are members in Congress.

A Justice Department official met with Jeffrey Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell. How close were Trump and Epstein? Trump’s friendship with the late sex offender began in the 1980s, but it soured in the 2000s. Scroll through the fascinating timeline here.