The rumblings about a “side deal” come as Paramount’s settlement with Trump has been widely criticized for undermining press independence and posing a possible conflict of interest. Any agreement that also includes millions worth of favorable ads for Trump is only set to add to this scrutiny.

The president sued over an interview with Harris on the CBS News segment that he said was deceptively edited to her advantage.

The move comes as a striking concession in a case that has been seen as a threat to bedrock American principles of free speech.