Infobrief
Mar 10, 2026

"BREAKING: Trump Ally Promises CNN Overhaul in Warner Bros. Deal"

Media Earthquake: The Ellisons, Trump, and a $108 Billion Battle That Could Transform CNN

A massive political and corporate showdown is unfolding in the American media industry, and at the center of it are billionaire tech titan Larry Ellison, his son David Ellison, and former U.S. president Donald Trump.

The stakes? The future of CNN — and possibly the entire landscape of American news media.

According to multiple insiders, the Ellisons have quietly reassured Trump that if their company Paramount Global succeeds in its $108 billion hostile takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery, they will implement sweeping reforms at CNN — a network Trump has repeatedly attacked as “fake news.”

A Media War Between Tech Giants

The drama intensified just days after Netflix struck a $72 billion agreement to acquire Warner’s movie studios and the iconic HBO brand.

But there’s one crucial difference.

Netflix’s proposal does not include CNN. Instead, the network would be spun off into a separate company.

Paramount’s rival bid, however, explicitly includes CNN — and the Ellisons reportedly plan to rebuild the network from the ground up.

Private Promises in Washington

Sources cited by The Wall Street Journal say David Ellison told senior Trump officials during private meetings in Washington that CNN would undergo a “fundamental cultural and editorial overhaul.”

Meanwhile, Larry Ellison reportedly went even further. The Oracle founder allegedly discussed the possibility of firing several well-known CNN anchors, including Erin Burnett and Brianna Keilar — both frequent targets of Trump’s criticism.

One White House official summarized the situation bluntly:

“The president wants new ownership of CNN and changes to CNN programming. He believes the network’s current leadership is openly hostile.”

The Oval Office Factor

The political dimension of the deal is impossible to ignore.

Ultimately, the U.S. Department of Justice Antitrust Division — which reports to the president — will decide whether the mega-merger is allowed to proceed.

Just 48 hours before Paramount officially announced its counteroffer, Larry and David Ellison were seen sitting with Trump in the presidential box at the Kennedy Center Honors.

Shortly after the Netflix deal was announced, Larry Ellison reportedly called Trump directly, arguing that a Netflix acquisition could give Silicon Valley too much control over the streaming industry.

A New Vision for CNN

David Ellison has also hinted at a major restructuring of the American news landscape.

In an interview with CNBC, he revealed plans to merge CNN with CBS News into a single large news operation focused on rebuilding “trust” with viewers.

His goal, he said, is to create a media platform that speaks to “the 70 percent of Americans in the middle.”

Under the plan, the combined news division would reportedly be overseen by journalist Bari Weiss, a former The New York Times columnist now leading CBS News.

Weiss has already begun reshaping the network’s image, promoting what she describes as a more “anti-woke” editorial direction.

Controversy Already Brewing

One of Weiss’s first major hires was veteran reporter Matt Gutman, formerly of ABC News.

But Gutman quickly found himself in controversy after comments he made while covering the fatal shooting of political commentator Charlie Kirk.

During a broadcast, Gutman described text messages between the suspected shooter and his partner as “very touching” and “intimate.”

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