Trump attacks Norah O’Donnell amid rumors of her return to ‘CBS Evening News’

President Trump criticized former CBS News “Evening News” anchor Norah O’Donnell after The Washington Post reported that the longtime correspondent was rumored to be returning to the network’s news anchor slot.

Last week, Paramount Skydance also announced its acquisition of contrarian news site The Free Press for $150 million — and its controversial decision to move to It elevated its pro-Israel, anti-woke founder, Barry Weiss, to the top role of editor-in-chief From CBS News.

Under her leadership, O’Donnell, who stepped down as anchor of the CBS Evening News earlier this year, has done just that. She re-emerged as a contender to regain the anchor seat, The Post exclusively reported last week.

“So who will be the lead anchor at CBS?” Trump asked reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday.

“Not Norah O’Donnell. I don’t believe it. I don’t believe it,” he pricked.

“You know, there’s a story they’re going to—I don’t know,” he stopped himself.

CBS News has seen some major changes since then Paramount parent company greenlit FCC $8.4 billion merger with Skydance MediaHe put billionaire David Ellison – son of Oracle’s Larry Ellison – at the helm of the joint venture.

Trump told reporters: “Well, I’m telling you, Larry Ellison is great, and his son David is great. They’re friends of mine. They’re great supporters of mine. They’re going to do the right thing.”

“They’re going to create CBS – and hopefully they’ll call it, you know, the Tiffany Network. It has great potential. CBS has great potential.”

O’Donnell’s replacements, John Dickerson and Maurice DuBois, dropped the show’s ratings to last place, averaging just 4.1 million viewers, according to Nielsen ratings.

But some insiders scoffed at the idea of ​​O’Donnell returning, as the show lost 25% in total viewership under her leadership.

A CBS source told The Post: “I can’t believe Norah O’Donnell would fool Barry. Norah has a track record of losing and Barry wants to win.” “Nothing says CBS News is stuck in the past more than bringing Norah O’Donnell back to the Evening News.”

But David Ellison and Jeff Shell, head of Paramount Skydance, had been “very unhappy” with the show since O’Donnell’s exit, and they entertained the idea of ​​bringing her back to her old job. The Washington Post previously reported in May.

Meanwhile, Weiss, who started her new role last week, is looking to calm nerves at the network amid talk of layoffs.

The 41-year-old sent a memo to employees on Friday seeking to “understand how you spend your working hours — and ideally, what you have made (or are making) that you are most proud of.” According to Variety.

It was quickly compared to Elon Musk’s Government Efficiency Administration, which earlier this year required federal employees to provide a weekly update on “five things” they had accomplished — and then cut about 300,000 government jobs.

But Vice also stressed that it looks forward to hearing from reporters and poll recipients about “your views on what’s working; what’s broken or substandard; and how we can be better,” according to the outlet.

A network insider said that Weiss succeeded in averting the panic that struck the faltering network.

“It comforts people even though they know the cuts are coming,” the source told the newspaper.

“Through her meetings and communications this week, she has somewhat reassured people that she is not obsessed.”