President Donald Trump has weighed in on the ongoing Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) sale, calling the current CNN leadership "dishonest" and urging that the network be sold to a new owner.
His comments come amid competing bids from Netflix and Paramount Skydance to acquire the media giant.
Speaking at a White House event on Wednesday, Trump stated that any deal should ensure CNN's inclusion or separate sale, while criticizing the current management as dishonest and suggesting they should not remain in charge.
According to Meaww, he added that CNN's leadership should not be "rewarded" with funds from any deal, calling those in charge "a disgrace."
Trump's remarks suggest a preference for Paramount Skydance's offer, which seeks to acquire WBD in its entirety, including CNN and other cable properties.
The plan would place CNN under the news chief of CBS subsidiary Bari Weiss.
Unlike other bidders, Netflix is focusing solely on acquiring Warner Bros. studio and the HBO Max streaming service, without affecting CNN's current management.
Sources report that Trump's intervention comes after a controversial "60 Minutes" interview with Marjorie Taylor Greene aired, criticizing the president.
Trump also criticized the show's correspondent Leslie Stahl, calling her "Trump hating."
He blamed the airing on Paramount Skydance's management, expressing frustration that the network allowed the show to be broadcast under its new ownership.
Trump says he wants a new owner for CNN as part of any sale of Warner Bros. Discovery: ‘A very dishonest group of people’ https://t.co/SXbFhmUU6R pic.twitter.com/G4vuzbpVQe
— New York Post (@nypost) December 10, 2025
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Donald Trump Seeks Influence Over WBD Deal
Paramount executives claim they were unaware of the interview until it broadcast, with CEO David Ellison and president Jeff Shell reportedly caught off guard. A Paramount spokeswoman declined to comment further.
Market watchers say Trump's statements are unusual, as US presidents typically do not directly influence regulatory reviews of corporate acquisitions.
Still, his comments underscore the political stakes surrounding the WBD sale and suggest he seeks to influence the outcome to ensure CNN's leadership is replaced.
Aside from politics, the sale's financial stakes are significant. Netflix's bid reportedly totals $82.7 billion, while Paramount Skydance has launched a "hostile" counteroffer at $30 per share in cash.
Analysts expect the bidding war could push the final price as high as $35 per share, around $91 billion, NY Post reported.
Trump, when asked about the bids, said he would review both proposals and "want[s] to do what's right," noting he had not discussed the matter with his son-in-law Jared Kushner, whose firm is involved in financing the Paramount offer.
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