Larry Ellison Engaged White House in Talks to Remove CNN Hosts amid Warner Bros. Discovery Bid

Senior White House officials have privately expressed support for Paramount Skydance’s bid to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery, according to sources close to the matter. At the center of the discussions is Larry Ellison, the Oracle co‑founder and largest shareholder in Paramount, who reportedly explored changes to CNN’s lineup — including the removal of hosts like Erin Burnett and Brianna Keilar.

Although Ellison holds no formal operating role at Paramount, his influence looms large. The conversations with the White House reportedly touched on replacing those hosts and even considered airing CBS’s “60 Minutes” on CNN — a bold proposal that aligns with Ellison’s desire to reshape the network’s programming.

The backdrop to these talks is Paramount Skydance’s aggressive strategy. The company, now backed by Ellison’s deep pockets, is preparing a non-binding bid for Warner Bros. Discovery ahead of a November 20 deadline.

Support from influential government figures could clear regulatory hurdles, which some insiders believe may be minimal.

Notably, antitrust concerns have been downplayed by some former regulators who doubt a Paramount–Warner merger would raise serious competition issues.

The Federal Communications Commission, too, may not play a central role: FCC Chair Brendan Carr has indicated he does not anticipate the deal requiring significant commission review.

That said, other bidders remain in play. Netflix and Comcast are also eyeing Warner Bros. Discovery — though the Ellisons appear to be positioning themselves as the preferred choice in Washington.

If successful, the acquisition would be transformative: Paramount would gain control of Warner’s storied brands, including HBO, CNN, the Warner Bros. studio, and DC Entertainment.