Skydance Now Controls CNN, Can Trump Be Appeased?

David Ellison, the new owner of CNN after Skydance’s $111 billion takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery closed, says he stands with the network’s push to restore White House access and will not interfere in its coverage. Trump’s long-running attacks on CNN and the administration’s expectations of a more compliant network under Ellison, however, set up a potential clash.

Ellison, 43, told CNN staffers he believes “deeply in journalism,” described CNN and CBS News as “a vital part of our democracy,” and pledged editorial independence. Sitting with Anderson Cooper at a town hall hours after the deal closed, he was asked whether he stood with CNN’s effort—joined by MS NOW and POLITICO in a First Amendment lawsuit—to regain access after the White House banished the outlets. “Of course,” he replied.

Ellison, Trump

He has also said publicly that he and his team have not discussed news coverage with any political leaders, only that they want to operate in the “truth business” and “trust business” with “complete editorial independence.” A Skydance spokesperson declined to comment.

Trump and his allies have made clear they anticipate changes. In December, Trump declared it “imperative that CNN be sold” while criticizing its coverage. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said this spring that “the sooner David Ellison takes over that network, the better.” The Wall Street Journal reported that Ellison had assured administration officials he would make “sweeping changes to CNN” if he acquired the company; Ellison has acknowledged “great conversations with the president” about the network.

The White House is already testing the boundaries of a judge’s order restoring access, with communications director Steven Cheung distinguishing between entry to the grounds and access to Air Force One. Ellison now controls two of the five networks in the White House television pool, and Trump has signaled he views the new owner as aligned with him. The core test, observers note, will be whether Ellison’s public commitments to independence hold when they conflict with the president’s demands.