President Donald Trump has publicly praised Paramount’s merger with Warner Bros. Discovery. Whether that enthusiasm extends to the combined company’s news coverage remains to be seen.
According to Variety, Trump welcomed the deal’s completion Tuesday while speaking with reporters outside the White House. The transaction brings the two entertainment giants together under Skydance.
“It’s gonna be a great company. They’re terrific people, and it’s gonna be a great company,” Trump said.
The endorsement gives David Ellison a welcoming reception as he assumes control of an expanded media empire. However, Trump’s recent disagreements with Paramount demonstrate that support for its ownership does not necessarily extend to its programming.
CBS and CNN Have Different Editors Under the Same Ownership
CBS News and CNN now operate under the same Skydance leadership, but will retain separate editorial chiefs. Questions about their future editorial structure contributed to the debate surrounding the deal.
Bari Weiss addresses The Free Press working with Paramount – YouTube, The Free Press
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Bari Weiss remains editor-in-chief of CBS News, while Mark Thompson continues as chairman and editor-in-chief of CNN Worldwide. Both report directly to Ellison and co-CEO Ynon Kreiz.
That distinction matters. Weiss is not taking charge of CNN, and shared ownership does not automatically mean identical editorial decisions.
Ellison will oversee two separate news operations, each responsible for its own coverage. Trump’s approval of one network will not necessarily translate into support for the other.
Trump Has Already Criticized Paramount’s New Ownership
As CBS News editor-in-chief, Weiss also oversees 60 Minutes. Her appointment has not prevented disagreements between Trump and the program.
In November 2025, Trump spoke favorably about CBS’s new leadership during his own 60 Minutes interview. The following month, he publicly criticized its ownership.
After the program interviewed Marjorie Taylor Greene, Trump criticized Paramount for allowing the segment to air and argued that the show had deteriorated under its new owners.
President Donald Trump in a 2020 interview – 60 Minutes, YouTube
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On December 16, he again said 60 Minutes had treated him worse since the takeover, disputing suggestions that he was close to CBS’s owners.
“For those people that think I am close with the new owners of CBS, please understand that 60 Minutes has treated me far worse since the so-called “takeover,” than they have ever treated me before,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “If they are friends, I’d hate to see my enemies!”
Those remarks complicate predictions that Ellison’s networks will consistently align with the president’s agenda. They also demonstrate that Trump distinguishes between welcoming a corporate transaction and approving the resulting news coverage.
Can Ellison Keep Both Networks Centrist?
It remains possible that Ellison can guide CBS News and CNN toward a more centrist approach while preserving their separate identities.
In an August op-ed published in The New York Times, Ellison wrote, “Our journalists will continue to answer to the facts and to all the people they serve—not to any party or cause.”
David Ellison in an interview with Bloomberg – YouTube, Bloomberg Podcasts
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Whether that commitment produces consistently balanced reporting remains to be seen. Separate editors may pursue it through different programming choices, interview subjects, and approaches to political coverage.
A centrist approach would still leave room for scrutiny of the administration. Assessing fairness will require examining the reporting itself, rather than relying solely on either presidential approval or criticism.
For now, Trump welcomes the merger and its leadership. Whether that support lasts will depend partly on how CBS and CNN cover his administration—and how he assesses their work.
Do you think Trump’s praise of the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger will last? Sound off and let us know!
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