Billionaire Larry Ellison and his son David Ellison are driving a high-stakes battle for control of Warner Bros. Discovery, with major political implications centered on CNN. Their company, Paramount Global, has launched a $108 billion hostile takeover bid that would include CNN—unlike Netflix’s separate $72 billion offer, which would spin the network off. According to multiple reports, the Ellisons have privately assured President Donald Trump that they would overhaul CNN’s culture, leadership, and programming, including potentially firing anchors he has criticized. Trump officials say the president views new ownership of CNN as “long overdue,” and the Ellisons have worked to cultivate his trust as the Justice Department evaluates both deals.
David Ellison has promoted a vision of merging CNN and CBS News into a single “truth-focused” division led by Bari Weiss, the recently appointed CBS News editor-in-chief known for her “anti-woke” rebranding. Weiss’s early decisions—including hiring correspondent Matt Gutman, who later apologized for controversial on-air remarks—signal the ideological shift the Ellisons intend to push across the combined news operation. Larry Ellison reportedly warned Trump that a Netflix acquisition would give Silicon Valley excessive control over the media landscape.
Both the Netflix and Paramount bids have sparked bipartisan antitrust concerns. Figures such as Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Rep. Darrell Issa argue that either merger would consolidate too much influence and reduce consumer choice. Meanwhile, Trump has publicly stated he will review the deals based on market-share considerations, although aides say he remains intrigued by Paramount’s plan because it includes CNN and promises sweeping reforms.