Fear Returns to CNN as Jared Kushner Joins Paramount’s Hostile Bid for WBD, Putting Erin Burnett’s and Brianna Keilar’s Jobs in Peril

One week after it appeared CNN would be free from the grip of David Ellison and Paramount — as the cable network’s corporate parent, Warner Bros. Discovery, accepted Netflix’s $83 billion offer to acquire its streaming and studio business — CNN staffers are now “recoil[ing]” at Paramount’s new, hostile offer for all of WBD that could see not just the Ellisons, but also President Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, exerting influence over the network. A far-left media reporter, Oliver Darcy, who used to work at CNN, previously reported that staffers at the network were fretting over the idea of being swallowed up by Paramount, owned by the Trump-aligned Ellison family, who have promised to restore balanced journalism to reliably liberal CBS News, which they recently acquired when they purchased CBS’s parent company, Paramount. However, the New York Times reported that CNN staffers were breathing a sigh of relief after the news broke that WBD accepted Netflix’s offer, a situation that would have seen CNN spun off as part of Discovery Global, a separate company made up of WBD’s other cable businesses, such as the Discovery Channel, TNT, and TBS. One reason that CNN staffers were relieved was that the Guardian had reported that Larry Ellison, the world’s second-richest man, and Mr. Trump had been discussing changes they would make to CNN, including terminating stridently anti-Trump CNN stars Erin Burnett and Brianna Keilar. But the relief seems to have been short-lived — and the peril appears to have deepened for Ms. Burnett and Ms. Keilar — as Paramount has refused to give up its dreams of acquiring all of WBD and launched a hostile takeover bid, initially valued at $108 billion, earlier this week. President Trump speaks as CEO of Dell Technologies Michael Dell (L) looks on during a roundtable discussion with top business leaders in the Roosevelt Room at the White House on December 10, 2025. Alex Wong/Getty ImagesCNN is widely known to pay its talent well over what they would command on the open market, and it’s unlikely Ms. Burnett and Ms. Keiler could ever replicate their incomes at a CNN competitor, and certainly not at Substack, which has become a refuge for fired journalists from legacy platforms (these ranks include fired anti-Trump CNN personalities Chris Cuomo, Don Lemon, and Jim Acosta).The Paramount news got even worse for CNN staffers after it was reported that President Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner’s investment fund, Affinity Partners, is among the investors in the latest Paramount offer.Mr. Kushner, who is married to Mr. Trump’s eldest daughter, Ivanka, was a powerful adviser to his father-in-law during his first term. He has remained a private citizen in the second term, but has recently returned to public life as a volunteer negotiator, along with fellow New York real estate magnate Steve Witkoff, who shepherded the Gaza peace deal. He and Mr. Witkoff recently met directly with President Putin as they turn their attention to ending the war in Ukraine.As NPR notes, Mr. Kushner and the other investors in the offer have “all agreed to foreswear any claim to a seat on the board of directors,” according to Paramount, though that promise does not appear to be calming fears at CNN.Jared Kushner, left, and President Trump’s envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, on July 13, 2025 at Teterboro, New Jersey. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images“In interviews, CNN staffers recoiled at the idea that the Saudi royal or the Trump in-law would have any ownership stake in the network – even given the promises they would keep their distance,” NPR reported. A former executive editor of the American edition of OK! Magazine, Rob Shuter, wrote in his newsletter that Mr. Kushner “isn’t just backing a takeover. Insiders say he’s strategically placing himself where he could help shape — or at least influence — the future of American media. Starting with CNN.”Besides concerns that CNN might be sold to a Trump-aligned owner, the Kushner investment in the deal will also likely bring up memories of his ownership of the once-beloved New York Observer. Media insiders have blamed Mr. Kushner for the outlet’s decline as he sought to impose harsh cost-cutting measures and shift the focus of the outlet from hyper-local coverage to national news.With Paramount’s hostile takeover bid, the future of CNN is unclear, and likely will be for some time, as any deal will likely require a months-long review process before the federal government approves or rejects it.An aerial view of the Paramount Studios lot at Hollywood, California. David McNew/Getty ImagesMedia insiders have long predicted that Paramount would have an easier time winning approval due to the Ellisons’ connection to the White House and concerns about Netflix dominating the streaming market, though the Wall Street Journal reported that Mr. Trump has moderated his view on Netflix. Despite reports of his warmer view toward Netflix, Mr. Trump shocked the media world on Wednesday when he told reporters that CNN would need to be sold as part of any deal to acquire parts or all of WBD. The Wall Street Journal reports that he has reportedly been telling those close to him that he wants to see CNN sold off to owners that are friendlier to him as part of any deal to acquire WBD and that he does not view the existing plan of spinning off the news network under a separate company — run by the current chief financial officer of WBD, Gunnar Wiedenfels, as acceptable. In his remarks to reporters, Mr. Trump said, “I think the people that have run CNN for the last long period of time are a disgrace. I think it’s imperative that CNN be sold.”He added, “I think CNN should be sold because I think the people that are running CNN right now are either corrupt or incompetent … I think any deal, it should be guaranteed and certain that CNN is part of it or sold separately.”Warner Brothers Discovery has chosen Netflix as the suitor it will negotiate with for the purchase, by Netflix, of its streaming and studios businesses Netflix / WDBMr. Trump may have been referring to the CEO of WBD, David Zaslav, and his deputy, Mr. Wiedenfels. But he could have included in his criticism the day-to-day leaders who operate CNN. The beleaguered news operation is currently led by Mark Thompson, a veteran of far-left media outlets The New York Times and the BBC, and his deputy Virginia Moseley, whose husband is a close associate of Hillary Clinton and Presidents Obama and Biden, and was Mr. Biden’s ambassador to Israel. There has been some speculation that Paramount may have lost some of the president’s good graces after CBS’s “60 Minutes,” which has consistently run anti-Trump stories even after the Ellison takeover of Paramount, aired an interview with Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, whom Mr. Trump has come to despise.Ms. Greene blamed the president for receiving death threats after he criticized her amid their break over the Epstein files. Mr. Trump demanded an apology from the network after the interview, criticizing the interviewers, “60 Minutes” star Lesley Stahl.Erin Burnett (L) and Brianna Keilar (R) are said to be ‘loathed’ by President Trump. xHowever, a columnist for the New York Post, Charles Gasparino, reported that the rumors of a Trump-Ellison feud are overblown. And on Thursday, journalist Mark Halperin said on “2Way” that he thinks Paramount will wind up victorious in the battle for WBD.“[Netflix] can’t buy CNN,” Mr. Halperin said. “And Jared Kushner’s on the other side. I still think Paramount’s going to win this.”CNN declined to comment.

Fear Returns to CNN as Jared Kushner Joins Paramount’s Hostile Bid for WBD, Putting Erin Burnett’s and Brianna Keilar’s Jobs in Peril

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