Overview
- The call took place on Sunday when President Trump phoned into CNN’s State of the Union to discuss Senator Lindsey Graham’s death and at the end agreed to a future, broader interview with anchor Jake Tapper while saying, “We’re trying to have CNN go on a normal path.”
- No date or format for the promised Tapper interview has been announced, leaving the timing and scope of the sit-down unclear.
- In June the Department of Justice approved Paramount Skydance’s acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, a deal expected to close by the end of the third quarter that carries quarterly “ticking” fees if delayed and a $7 billion termination fee if regulators block the merger.
- Many CNN staffers have expressed concern about editorial independence because Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison is reported to have a cordial relationship with the president and the company has already installed high-profile leaders at other outlets such as Bari Weiss at CBS News.
- Watch for when the interview is scheduled and whether the takeover’s closing milestones change newsroom leadership or coverage decisions, which could alter how viewers and journalists view CNN’s political stance.