The high-stakes deal that came together this week resulted from months of back-and-forth among a constellation of power players with competing interests, including the president and mogul Shari Redstone.

Trump's legal team lauded the agreement as a win for media accountability. But experts are concerned for the free press.

Paramount told media outlets the money will go to Trump’s future presidential library, not to the president himself. It said the settlement did not involve an apology.