Shari Redstone Diagnosed With Cancer as She Grapples With Trump’s 60 Minutes Lawsuit

(Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)

Paramount Global chair Shari Redstone has confirmed she was diagnosed with cancer and is undergoing treatment as the high-stakes 60 Minutes legal battle with President Donald Trump rolls on.

Redstone was diagnosed with thyroid cancer earlier this spring and underwent surgery last month, she confirmed following an inquiry from The New York Times.

While doctors successfully removed her thyroid, some cancer cells had already spread to her vocal cords. She is currently undergoing radiation treatment and, according to her spokeswoman, “she and her family are grateful that her prognosis is excellent.”

Yet her medical ordeal unfolds alongside a deepening legal saga: Trump’s lawsuit against CBS and 60 Minutes for allegedly misrepresenting an interview with Vice President Kamala Harris. Redstone reportedly recused herself from board discussions on the matter due to her personal financial interest in a pending multibillion-dollar sale of Paramount to Skydance Media – a deal that now hangs in the balance.

Settlement negotiations between Trump and Paramount have dragged on for months, with the president recently rejecting outright an alleged Paramount settlement offer of $15 million.

The lawsuit, though dismissed by many legal analysts as meritless, looms large. Some within Paramount believe settling could ease FCC concerns and smooth the Skydance merger, though both the regulator and Paramount deny any official linkage.

According to some the legal battle has already reshaped CBS News. 60 Minutes executive producer Bill Owens resigned in April while news chief Wendy McMahon was ousted last month amid internal friction over editorial independence.