Critics unloaded Thursday night over a New York Post report that the Trump administration wants Paramount Skydance to buy Warner Bros. Discovery, and that "rival bidders are likely to face stiff hurdles from US regulators in the blockbuster auction."
Paramount settled a lawsuit filed by Trump, and paid him $16 million in July over accusations CBS’s "60 Minutes" selectively edited its interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris during the presidential campaign last year. Critics reamed Paramount over the decision, asserting that it caved to Trump because the administration could've derailed its merger negotiations with Skydance Media.
The Post reported that the media giant, now known as Paramount Skydance, is now "clearly in the catbird seat as Warner Bros. Discovery kicks off a process to sell itself this week." Warner Bros Discovery owns the No. 1-ranked studio, the No. 3-ranked streaming services, and cable channels HBO and CNN.
“Who owns Warner Bros. Discovery is very important to the administration,” a senior Trump administration official told the outlet. “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."
The official also delivered an ominous warning to Warner Bros., should it thumb its nose at the Trump administration.
“Warner really needs to think really hard about the odds of success getting the deal cleared with players outside of Paramount Skydance,” the official added. “Again when the Warner board is looking at offers it needs to give real significant weight not just of price factors but on the odds of getting a deal done."
The report sent shockwaves across social media, with critics accusing the administration of brazen corruption.
Matt Stoller, researcher at the American Economic Liberties Project, wrote on X, "Wildly corrupt."
Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), replied to Stoller on X, "All these corporations that used a corrupt Trump government to merge and hurt the consumer are going to have to be broken up in the next Dem administration."
Bloomberg columnist Matthew Yglesias wrote on X, "Well at least we are all getting a chance to learn that discretionary merger review processes are an invitation to corruption."
Jeremy Barr, media and power reporter for The Guardian US, questioned on X, "Should an administration be making it known which potential buyer of a media company they prefer?"
Patrick Daugherty, NFL writer for NBC Sports, wrote on X, "Absolutely bonkers this is America."
Anson Mount, actor and co-host of The Well Podcast, wrote on X, "Number 1,457,904 on the list of things that would make Republican heads explode if perpetrated by a Democrat administration. Free market anyone?"
Franklin Leonard, A Vanity Fair contributing editor, wrote on X, "The fix is in."