Legal AF by MeidasTouch Trump Secret Meetings to Take Over Media Revealed
Feb 19, 2026
Reports of secret meetings about acquiring CNN and Warner Bros assets take center stage. Discussion of the sudden firing of the DOJ antitrust chief and how that could reshape the sale. Analysis of competing bids from Netflix and Paramount and why CNN is a strategic prize. A timeline connecting public remarks, shifting ownership moves, and broader changes in where people get their news.
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Trump's Back-Channel Media Influence
- Michael Popok connects Trump's secret White House meetings with David Ellison to a broader effort to influence who acquires Warner Bros. Discovery and CNN.
- He argues Trump used regulatory control and personnel moves to steer the deal toward allies rather than the higher Netflix offer.
Competing Bids And CNN's Role
- Netflix offered about $30 a share for Warner Bros. Discovery but proposed CNN be sold separately, creating a competing bid dynamic.
- Paramount (Ellison family) pursued the full company including CNN, which aligns with Trump's stated preference and political aims.
Public Claim vs. Private Actions
- Trump publicly said he'd stay out and let the Justice Department decide, invoking antitrust concerns about market share.
- Popok highlights that Trump simultaneously met with Ellison and then removed the DOJ antitrust head, undermining that claim.