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

President Trump bashed CBS News’ former “Evening News” anchor Norah O’Donnell after The Post reported that the longtime correspondent is rumored to return to an anchor spot at the network.

Last week, Paramount Skydance also announced its $150 million acquisition of buzzy, contrarian news site The Free Press – and its controversial decision to elevate its pro-Israel, anti-woke founder, Bari Weiss, to the top role as editor in chief of CBS News.

Under her lead, O’Donnell – who stepped down as host of “CBS Evening News” earlier this year – has resurfaced as a contender to take back the anchor seat, The Post exclusively reported last week.

“So who’s going to be the head 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 jabbed.

“You know, there’s a story that they’re gonna – I dunno,” he stopped himself.

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

“Well, I tell you what, Larry Ellison is great, and his son David is great. They’re friends of mine. They’re big supporters of mine. And they’ll do the right thing,” Trump told reporters.

“They’re gonna make CBS – hopefully they’ll, you know, they called it the Tiffany Network. And it’s got great potential. CBS has great potential.”

O’Donnell’s replacements, John Dickerson and Maurice DuBois, have tanked the show’s ratings even further into last place, averaging just 4.1 million total viewers, according to Nielsen ratings.

But some insiders have scoffed at the idea of O’Donnell’s return, since the show shed 25% of its total viewership under her lead.

“I can’t believe Bari would be fooled by Norah O’Donnell. Norah has a track record of losing and Bari wants to win,” a CBS source told The Post. “Nothing says CBS News is stuck in the past more than putting Norah O’Donnell back on the ‘Evening News.’”

But David Ellison and Jeff Shell, president of Paramount Skydance, have been “profoundly unhappy” with the show since O’Donnell’s exit, and have entertained the idea of putting her back in her old job, The Post previously reported in May.

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

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

It quickly drew comparison to Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, which earlier this year demanded federal employees submit a weekly update on “five things” they accomplished – and then slashed about 300,000 government roles.

But Weiss also emphasized that she is looking to hear out reporters, polling recipients for “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 Weiss was successful in sidestepping a panic at the flailing network.

“She’s putting people at ease even though they know cuts are coming,” the source told The Post.

“Through her meetings and communication this week, she has sort of reassured people that she’s not a maniac.”