The Wall Street Journal reports that David Ellison has been discussing plans with Trump administration officials to significantly change CNN if he were to acquire Warner Bros.
According to The Journal, 79-year-old Donald Trump has been expressing his desire for new leadership at CNN and a different direction for the network’s shows.
According to the Journal, David Ellison – son of billionaire and Trump supporter Larry Ellison – shared these views during Paramount’s attempt to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery in a $108 billion takeover bid.
Jared Kushner, who is married to Trump’s daughter, is supporting Paramount’s attempt to acquire Warner. This move comes after Paramount lost out to Netflix in a competition to buy Warner, a company that owns major Hollywood studios like CNN, HBO, and HGTV, as well as a vast library of television shows and films.
According to sources who spoke with the Wall Street Journal, Larry Ellison contacted Donald Trump after reports surfaced that Netflix was likely to acquire Warner. Ellison reportedly expressed concern that the deal would reduce competition in the market.
Following the initial reports, Trump appeared to acknowledge the potential issues with the deal. At an event, he stated that a merger could give one company a very large portion of the market and might create difficulties. However, he didn’t disclose that his son-in-law had a financial interest in the other company trying to acquire it.
David Ellison recently discussed the situation with CNBC, explaining his strong relationship with the president and the president’s belief in fair competition. Ellison argued that allowing the largest streaming service to merge with the third largest would create an unfair advantage in the market.
As a film and media fan, I found it interesting when he mentioned that if Paramount were to acquire Warner, including CNN would be a smart move for growth. He really framed the whole idea around creating a major streaming service people could genuinely trust – something that feels increasingly important these days.
He explained they aim to create a significantly expanded service centered around establishing trust and providing truthful information, specifically targeting the majority of Americans who consider themselves moderate. They believe this approach will allow them to be both successful and socially responsible.
When CNBC asked Larry Ellison if Donald Trump supported his potential purchase of CNN, Ellison said they had discussed it, but he wouldn’t presume to know what Trump was thinking.
For months, Donald Trump has been critical of CNN. Since regaining office, he’s repeatedly attacked both the network and its journalists.
I was really disappointed to see the former president attacking Kaitlan Collins on Truth Social, calling her names like ‘Stupid and Nasty.’ It just felt unnecessary and disrespectful. He also seems to think CNN is completely corrupt, blaming their owner for everything. This isn’t the first time either – he went after CNN’s Natasha Bertrand a few months ago, and he’s been upset about their reporting, even claiming they falsely reported he was looking into investing in Iran’s nuclear program. It’s frustrating to see him constantly attacking the media instead of addressing the issues.
During an appearance on The Story Is With Elex Michaelson, CNN’s Brian Stelter explained that the companies interested in buying Warner are primarily focused on its movies and TV shows. However, he noted that the debate surrounding the future of CNN itself is a consequence of this larger deal.
According to Brian Stelter, major companies are primarily focused on acquiring entertainment content. However, this situation could impact who owns CNN in the future, as former President Trump has expressed interest in purchasing it.
So, I was listening to Brian Stelter talk about the potential sale of Warner Bros. Discovery, and someone asked how much power Trump really has over it. He said Trump does have some influence, but he definitely isn’t the one making the final call. Basically, Trump can definitely throw some wrenches into the process and make things difficult for any company trying to buy Warner, but he can’t just outright kill the deal himself.
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2025-12-09 10:45