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.

CBS News parent Paramount Global has agreed to pay $16 million to resolve an extraordinary lawsuit filed by President Donald Trump over a “60 Minutes” news report last fall.

Speaking with reporters at Joint Base Andrews late Thursday night, Trump claimed the settlement was actually worth much more than $16 million.