The Trump administration favors Paramount Skydance to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), with several rival bidders expected to face significant regulatory hurdles in the blockbuster auction, On The Money has learned. This development places Paramount Skydance—the newly formed media giant led by CEO David Ellison, son of software magnate and longtime Trump ally Larry Ellison—in a strong position as WBD initiates its sales process this week, according to a government official familiar with the matter.
Warner Bros. Discovery, known as WBD, owns the No. 1 ranked studio, the No. 3 streaming service, as well as prominent cable channels like HBO and CNN. “Who owns Warner Bros. Discovery is very important to the administration,” a senior Trump administration official told On The Money. “The Warner board needs to think very seriously not just on the price competition but which player in the suitor pool has been successful getting a deal done.”
“And that points to the Ellisons,” the senior official added.
Among the reported potential suitors for WBD—Netflix, Amazon, and Comcast—most carry forms of baggage that could complicate approvals from key U.S. agencies such as the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Justice Department’s antitrust division, sources say.
**Regulatory Concerns Around Competitors**
Comcast faces scrutiny over its cable news network MSNBC, which is viewed by the president as promoting anti-MAGA coverage. Additionally, NBC is believed to channel anti-Trump messaging, not only in its news broadcasts but also through entertainment programming like “Saturday Night Live,” where Trump is frequently mocked.
“The odds that Comcast CEO Brian Roberts will be able to expand and buy CNN or whatever else are low,” the official commented. “Maybe Brian Roberts comes up with a grand détente with the president, but I don’t think that will happen—and that’s the key.”
Netflix and Amazon, both eyeing parts of WBD including its studio and streaming units, confront significant antitrust concerns. Netflix already holds the No. 1 streaming spot, while WBD is No. 3. Amazon is currently under a Federal Trade Commission consent decree over alleged marketing abuses, complicating its position further.
**WBD’s Strategic Position**
WBD CEO David Zaslav believes he can persuade the Trump administration to allow bids from parties other than Paramount Skydance by appealing to free-market principles within the administration. Comcast is also expected to argue for bidding rights, citing its recent announcement to spin off MSNBC into a separate unit, sources added.
Nevertheless, insiders indicate that Zaslav must seriously consider not only antitrust hurdles but also the Trump administration’s willingness to crack down on what it perceives as pervasive left-wing bias in mainstream media.
“Warner really needs to think hard about the odds of success in getting a deal cleared with players outside of Paramount Skydance,” the official noted. “When the Warner board is evaluating offers, it needs to give significant weight not just to price but also to the likelihood of getting the deal done.”
**Industry Responses and Background**
Representatives for WBD and Paramount Skydance declined to comment. A spokesperson for the Trump Department of Justice (DOJ) antitrust division also declined to provide remarks.
The senior administration official’s comments come after reports that Makan Delrahim, who led the DOJ’s antitrust division during Trump’s first term, was hired by Paramount Skydance to argue that Zaslav may have little choice but to sell to the Ellisons.
As first reported by The Post, Zaslav initiated the bid process for WBD earlier this month in a deal that could reach $80 billion. Notably, Zaslav rejected three bids from David Ellison, the independent movie producer now running Paramount Skydance, the last offer being $23.50 per share.
A hostile bid from Ellison is anticipated, one that would appeal directly to shareholders to approve a sale to Paramount Skydance.
**The Ellison Connection**
David Ellison’s father, Larry Ellison, co-founder of Oracle and worth an estimated $350 billion, maintains a close friendship with Donald Trump. This relationship could potentially facilitate smoother regulatory approvals for a deal of this magnitude.
Trump administration officials highlight Ellison’s prior dealings with the president as a crucial factor in the WBD acquisition saga.
Before pursuing WBD, Ellison completed an $8 billion acquisition of Paramount. This followed a settlement where Paramount paid $16 million to Trump over a lawsuit alleging biased editing by Paramount’s CBS News subsidiary that, according to Trump, unfairly portrayed Kamala Harris during the heated 2024 election.
In response, CBS hired an ombudsman to address alleged left-wing bias in its newsroom and brought on Free Press founder Bari Weiss, known for her pro-Israel stance, to lead the news network.
**Trump’s Endorsement**
Trump has publicly praised the Ellisons as “friends” and “big supporters of mine,” expressing his belief that they will make CBS “fairer.”
As the bidding war for Warner Bros. Discovery unfolds, it is clear that regulatory approvals, political affiliations, and media bias concerns will be key factors influencing the ultimate outcome.
https://nypost.com/2025/10/23/media/trump-admin-favors-paramount-skydance-in-race-to-buy-warner-bros-discovery-sources/
