Kroft highlighted the fear within Paramount, stating, "I think there's a lot of fear over there fear of losing their job, fear of what's happening to the country, fear of losing the First Amendment, all of those things." He suggested that the impending merger motivated executives to settle the lawsuit to avoid potential financial loss, stating that "billions being on the line was more important to executives than fighting a ridiculous lawsuit." Kroft called the settlement a shakedown, underscoring that it ultimately worked in the president's favor.