Trump’s Warner Bros. Meddling Pushes Limits of Executive Power

Dec 11, 2025

In this engaging discussion, Lauren Goodwin, an Economist and Chief Market Strategist at New York Life Investments, delves into the Fed's policy and the economic landscape leading to 2026. She analyzes risks involving interest rates and hiring patterns in the labor market. Jay Goldberg, a Senior Analyst at Seaport Research Partners, provides insights on Broadcom's earnings and the rising demand for AI semiconductors, emphasizing customer dynamics and future growth prospects. Their expert opinions navigate the intersections of finance, technology, and politics.

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INSIGHT

High-Stakes Bidding For Warner Bros. Discovery

Paramount and Netflix are locked in a tense bidding battle for Warner Bros. Discovery.
Warner has 10 business days to respond and industry watchers expect legal and shareholder maneuvers before January 8.

INSIGHT

Trump Links Warner Deal To CNN's Fate

President Trump publicly tied any Warner deal to the sale or new leadership at CNN.
That stance favors bidders willing to alter CNN's ownership or management, complicating Netflix's streaming-only interest.

INSIGHT

Ownership Changes Reshape Newsroom Direction

Media ownership shifts are already pushing newsrooms toward more conservative leadership in some cases.
Paramount's changes at CBS and David Ellison's hires signal potential ideological shifts at outlets they acquire.

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Hollywood has a rich history of personal vendettas, political discord and uncertain loyalties shaping the industry. It just usually doesn’t involve the US president.

Donald Trump’s declaration that he will involve himself in the proposed sale of Warner Bros. Discovery Inc. has thrust an already tumultuous battle between Netflix Inc. and Paramount Skydance Corp. over some of the crown jewels of Tinseltown into uncharted waters.

The decision to inject himself is particularly extraordinary given Trump’s own conflicts and interests, according to legal experts.

Trump has already signaled one personal precondition for a sale: new ownership of longtime bogeyman CNN, in a bid to exert more favorable coverage from the cable network. But the connections don’t stop there for a president who considers himself the dealmaker-in-chief.

Trump’s son-in-law and former aide, Jared Kushner, has helped arrange financing for Paramount chief David Ellison, whose father, Larry Ellison, is a longtime donor and supporter.

The president has received entreaties from both sides. Netflix co-Chief Executive Officer Ted Sarandos has mounted a charm offensive of his own, meeting repeatedly with Trump and even chatting about how the first family were “big fans” of the streamer. The tech giant has spent recent months expanding its lobbying operation in Washington, seeking to boost its influence across a city now controlled by Trump and his allies.

Today's show features:

Bloomberg News Media Reporter Hannah Miller on Disney’s $1 billion investment in OpenAI and the political battle brewing over a potential Warner Bros. Discovery merger
Lauren Goodwin, Economist and Chief Market Strategist at New York Life Investments on the market and economic outlook heading into 2026
Cathy Seifert, Senior Vice President and Equity Analyst at CFRA Research, and Bloomberg News Investing Team Co-Team Leader Katherine “Kat” Chiglinsky, on expectations for Berkshire Hathaway as Warren Buffett prepares to step down
Jay Goldberg, Senior Analyst, Semiconductors & Electronics with Seaport Research Partners, breaks down Broadcom’s earnings report and outlook

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