The iconic American news network CNN is facing a period of profound uncertainty as its parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), becomes the target of a corporate takeover battle. This situation has drawn the direct attention of US President Donald Trump, who has expressed his desire to see the network's leadership and editorial direction changed.
Trump's Public Campaign Against CNN
President Donald Trump has a long and publicly hostile relationship with CNN, frequently labelling it and other major news outlets as "fake news." He has now openly stated his intention to be involved in the government's regulatory decision regarding any eventual sale of WBD, rather than leaving it solely to the Justice Department.
In remarks to business leaders at the White House last week, Trump declared, "I don't think the people that are running that company right now and running CNN, which is a very dishonest group of people, I don't think that should be allowed to continue." He added, "I think CNN should be sold along with everything else."
The High-Stakes Takeover Battle
The core of the issue is a hostile takeover bid for WBD from Paramount Skydance. WBD's board has urged shareholders to reject this offer, favoring a separate deal proposed by streaming giant Netflix instead.
However, the Paramount bid has a significant political dimension. David Ellison, CEO of Paramount and son of Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison—a known Trump ally—has reportedly assured the President that a successful takeover would lead to a retooling of CNN's editorial stance and on-air lineup. This could put prominent anchors like Kaitlan Collins and Jake Tapper, both frequent targets of Trump's criticism, at risk.
Ellison's group obtained regulatory approval for a Paramount-Skydance merger in July 2025 after committing to modify the editorial direction of the CBS network.
Potential Outcomes for the News Network
Analysts describe this as a perilous moment for CNN, caught between political pressure and shifting economic realities in the media landscape.
Under the Netflix deal, WBD would likely spin off CNN and other TV networks into a new, separate public company called Discovery Global. This entity would be highly indebted with weak growth prospects, still tied to the declining cable TV market, which loses millions of US subscribers annually. Consultant Brian Wieser suggests that in this scenario, Discovery Global would struggle to justify investing in CNN as it focuses on its overall financial health.
Conversely, a sale to Paramount Skydance raises immediate concerns about editorial independence. "Paramount's craven tilt to the right would clearly pose a threat to CNN's editorial independence," said University of Maryland professor Mark Feldstein.
Amid this corporate turmoil, CNN is undergoing its own strategic shift. Under CEO Mark Thompson, the network is reducing its reliance on traditional TV. It launched a $6.99 monthly subscription service in October, offering streaming access to most programs and its website. A commissioned study indicated that around 18 million Americans who canceled cable after the pandemic would be interested in such a standalone news subscription.
Despite these efforts, CNN's average daily viewership has fallen below 500,000, trailing rivals MSNBC and Fox News. The network, however, maintains that it remains profitable and retains significant global brand power.
As the takeover drama unfolds, the central question remains whether CNN can navigate the intersecting pressures of presidential politics, corporate consolidation, and a rapidly evolving digital media economy while preserving its journalistic mission.
