U.S. President Donald Trump has declared that CNN must receive new ownership as part of the ongoing battle for Warner Bros. Discovery, once again targeting the network he has long accused of bias.
Warner Bros. Discovery is currently at the center of a high-stakes bidding war between Paramount Global — led by CEO David Ellison, son of Trump ally Larry Ellison — and streaming powerhouse Netflix.
Under Paramount’s proposal, CNN would effectively fall under the Ellison family’s influence. Netflix’s bid, however, calls for Warner Bros. Discovery to sell CNN and other cable news assets to separate buyers before finalizing the larger acquisition.
“I think any deal should guarantee that CNN is part of it, or at least sold separately,” Trump told business leaders during a White House meeting.
He added that the network’s current leadership — which he labeled “a very dishonest group of people” — should not be allowed to remain in control.
“I think CNN should be sold along with everything else,” he insisted.
In an unusual departure from tradition, Trump signaled that he intends to play a direct role in determining whether the deal receives government approval, rather than leaving the decision solely to the Department of Justice, as is standard in major mergers.
Both bidders — which Trump described as “good companies” — have reportedly lobbied the White House and the president personally as they compete for the media giant.
Trump’s fraught relationship with CNN stretches back years; he has repeatedly labeled the network “fake news” and made it a favorite target of his attacks.
His demand that CNN land in friendly hands appears to favor Paramount’s bid, though the Netflix proposal would also result in the network being sold — albeit to an unknown buyer.
The Ellison-led overhaul of Paramount has already signaled a shift in tone within the company. Earlier this year, it appointed journalist Bari Weiss — a vocal critic of what she calls ideological bias in mainstream media — as the new editor-in-chief of CBS News, winning praise from conservative commentators.
Days before Ellison assumed full control, CBS abruptly canceled “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” a popular late-night program known for its frequent criticism of Trump.
Despite these moves, Trump lashed out at Paramount on Monday, accusing the company of being “NO BETTER THAN THE OLD OWNERSHIP” for airing an interview with Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a once-close ally who has recently become a critic.
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