Trump Orders CNN to Be Sold Amid Warner Bros. Discovery Takeover Battle
By James Morley III | Wednesday, 10 December 2025 08:10 PM EST
President Donald Trump declared on Wednesday that CNN must be sold as part of any transaction involving its parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery—a move that reignites his longstanding criticism of the network amid escalating media consolidation discussions.
In remarks to reporters at the White House, Trump labeled CNN a “disgrace” and “fake news,” suggesting the channel should be sold either separately or as part of a broader deal.
“I think CNN should be sold because the people that are running CNN right now are either corrupt or incompetent,” he stated. “I think any deal must guarantee that CNN is included in it or sold separately. But I don’t think the people who run that company and CNN—a very dishonest group—should be allowed to continue. I believe CNN should be sold along with everything else.”
The comments followed Paramount’s announcement on Monday of a hostile takeover bid for Warner Bros. Discovery, launching a potential clash with Netflix as the rival bidder seeks to acquire the company behind HBO, CNN, and its film studio, while also gaining control over cable services that Netflix has no interest in. Emerging days after top Warner executives agreed to Netflix’s $72 billion purchase offer, Paramount’s $77.9 billion bid targets Warner shareholders directly with a plan to buy all of Warner’s business. The proposal includes $18 billion more than Netflix’s bid and argues it is more likely to withstand scrutiny from Trump’s administration.
Trump confirmed he is not personally engaged in the negotiations but signaled his stance as regulatory reviews of the deals proceed.
