Billionaire Larry Ellison discussed replacing CNN hosts disliked by Trump during merger talks, raising concerns over political influence on media.

A billionaire associate of President Trump, Larry Ellison, reportedly discussed removing CNN anchors Erin Burnett and Brianna Keilar—whom Trump dislikes—with White House officials during talks about Paramount Skydance’s potential acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. The conversation, described as informal, included ideas for replacing the hosts and airing CBS programming on CNN. While no official action has been taken, the reports raise concerns about political influence on media ownership and editorial independence. Paramount is preparing a non-binding bid by November 20, competing with Netflix and Comcast, as regulators appear unlikely to block the deal.