The president of CBS News announced Monday she will resign, citing what she called differences with the network’s corporate ownership, which has faced a torrent of attacks and a multibillion-dollar lawsuit filed last year by President Trump.
“The past few months have been challenging,” Wendy McMahon wrote in a memo to network staff that was obtained by The Hill. “It’s become clear that the company and I do not agree on the path forward. It’s time for me to move on and for this organization to move forward with new leadership.”
McMahon’s resignation comes just weeks after Bill Owens, the executive producer of “60 Minutes,” quit while citing similar challenges with Paramount, the network’s corporate parent.
Owens said before leaving that it had become impossible for him to independently preside over the long-running magazine format program.
Trump sued “60 Minutes” and Paramount last fall over an interview with former Vice President Kamala Harris, his then-rival for the White House, which Trump has argued was intentionally edited to cast her in a positive light.
Lawyers for Trump and the media company are holding mediation talks about a potential settlement, news that has reportedly roiled staffers inside the network.
Paramount is trying to seal a multibillion-dollar merger with entertainment giant Skydance, a deal that will need approval from the Trump administration to go through.
“I have spent the last few months shoring up our businesses and making sure the right leaders are in place; and I have no doubt they will continue to set the standard,” McMahon, whose full title was president and CEO of CBS News and Stations and CBS Media Ventures, wrote to staff.
Following McMahon’s resignation, CBS News president Tom Cibrowski and CBS Stations president Jennifer Mitchell will each report directly to George Cheeks, a co-CEO of Paramount Global.
