Trump says any Warner Bros. sale should include CNN
Speaking from the White House, Trump said any deal to buy Warner Bros. should include CNN — either sold with the company or separately — citing distrust of current CNN leadership and warning his administration could be a hurdle for bidders. His comments come amid competing offers: Netflix’s reported ~$83 billion bid for the studio and HBO, and Paramount’s roughly $108 billion hostile bid for the entire company including CNN and other cable assets.
📌 Key Facts
- From the White House, Trump said "any deal" to buy Warner Bros. should include CNN — either sold with the company or sold separately — and cited distrust in current CNN leadership.
- He warned that his administration could be a hurdle for both Netflix’s and Paramount’s bids, signaling potential conditions tied to CNN's disposition.
- Netflix has an approximately $83 billion offer that targets Warner Bros.' studio assets and HBO only (it does not include CNN).
- Paramount launched a roughly $108 billion hostile bid for the entire company, a deal that would include CNN and other cable assets.
- The competing bids differ on whether CNN would be part of the transaction, an issue Trump has specifically tied to potential political scrutiny of the sales process.
📊 Relevant Data
CNN averaged 538,000 total primetime viewers in the third quarter of 2025, marking a 42 percent drop in total primetime viewers compared to previous periods.
Here Are the 3rd Quarter of 2025 Cable News Ratings — ADWEEK
Fox News had more viewers than MSNBC and CNN combined in November 2025, dominating the cable news market.
Fox News Dominates Cable News Again in November 2025, With More Viewers Than MSNBC and CNN Combined — Cord Cutters News
CNN's revenue dropped approximately $400 million from 2021 to 2023, representing an 18% decline over three years.
CNN’s revenue dropped roughly $400 million in three years — New York Post
Donald Trump has frequently criticized CNN as 'fake news' since his 2016 presidential campaign, contributing to a long-standing conflict with the network.
Donald Trump's conflict with the media — Wikipedia
📰 Sources (2)
- Trump said from the White House that "any deal" to buy Warner Bros. should include CNN — either sold with the company or sold separately — citing distrust in current CNN leadership.
- He reiterated that his administration could be a hurdle for both Netflix’s and Paramount’s bids, signaling potential conditions tied to CNN.
- Article recaps that Netflix’s offer (~$83B) targets the studio and HBO only, while Paramount launched a $108B hostile bid for the entire company including CNN and other cable assets.