Overview
- At a Pentagon briefing, Pete Hegseth said, “The sooner David Ellison takes over that network the better,” after attacking a CNN report on Iran.
- CNN reported that U.S. officials underestimated Iran’s willingness to close the Strait of Hormuz; Hegseth dismissed the story as unserious, and CNN said it stands by its reporting.
- Paramount Skydance is pursuing an estimated $111 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery that would include CNN, with regulatory and shareholder reviews still underway.
- David Ellison recently told CNBC he would preserve CNN’s editorial independence and said the company wants to be in the “truth” and “trust” business.
- Concerns among CNN staff draw on the CBS precedent under Skydance, where Bari Weiss’s leadership has coincided with editorial disputes and departures, as Trump’s ties to Larry Ellison and stated preference for Ellisons controlling CNN add political pressure.