Washington, D.C. — President Donald Trump waded into the Warner Bros. Discovery megadeal on Thursday, publicly calling for CNN to be sold to new owners as part of any restructuring of the media giant. The remarks, delivered at a White House roundtable and during a briefing with reporters, came amid a high‑stakes bidding war over Warner Bros. Discovery’s assets.
Warner Bros. Discovery has drawn bids from Netflix, which is seeking the Warner assets, and Paramount Skydance, which has shown interest in the company as a whole. The competition has intensified scrutiny of how CNN would fit into any final deal, with different bidders signaling different plans for the cable news network.
Trump argued that CNN’s leadership is corrupt or incompetent and that allowing CNN to remain under its current owners would be problematic as the megadeal proceeds. He framed his position as a matter of national interest and media integrity, rather than a simple corporate dispute.
The White House remarks reflect the broader political context surrounding one of the largest media mergers in years. Democrats have flagged national security and regulatory concerns as regulators review the competing offers, while the fate of CNN remains a potential point of leverage in the negotiations.
What happens next will depend on regulator reviews and which bid for Warner Bros. Discovery ultimately prevails. If Netflix’s approach proceeds, CNN could be spun into Discovery Global or treated as part of a separate reorganization. If Paramount Skydance wins, CNN’s status would hinge on terms of the sale and any conditions attached to the broader deal.
CNN has not issued a detailed public response in the available reporting, but outlets covering the remarks noted the significance of transforming CNN’s ownership as part of the megadeal. Analysts say the outcome could reshape how CNN is governed and how its operations fit within Warner Bros. Discovery’s post‑deal structure.
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