On Sunday, as thousands of spectators, MMA fighters, and ring girls descend on Washington for “UFC Freedom 250” event on the South Lawn of the White House, another more private gathering will be taking place in the nearby vicinity.
At the posh Ned’s Club, the private members club just steps from the White House that has become a MAGA hotspot, Status has learned that Paramount is set to host a brunch ahead of the fight. A Paramount spokesperson declined to comment on the guest list, but it’s safe to assume that executives from the David Ellison-led company will mingle with administration officials and other Trump allies, raising glasses in celebration of the cage-fighting spectacle honoring Trump’s 80th birthday.
The fête is likely to be an especially festive affair for both Ellison and the administration after Trump’s Justice Department on Friday approved Paramount’s proposed $111 billion merger with Warner Bros. Discovery, finding no federal antitrust concerns.
The approval, which will unite two of Hollywood’s most storied studios and place CNN and CBS News under the same corporate management, came without any divestitures or concessions. It marked the culmination of Ellison’s campaign to win over the one person who ultimately mattered most in getting the deal done: Donald Trump.
For months, Ellison and his father, technology tycoon Larry Ellison—a close Trump ally and confidant—have worked to ingratiate themselves with the transactional president, paving the way for the younger Ellison’s ascent as a 21st-century media mogul.
Of course, the approval did not come about by accident. The Ellisons have methodically worked to win over Trump, deploying a mix of public flattery and private outreach designed to convince him that a combined Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery would serve his interests. Behind the scenes, Larry Ellison leaned on his long-standing relationship with the president while David Ellison made repeated trips to Washington, privately assuring administration officials that CNN would undergo significant changes under new ownership, easing Trump’s long-standing animosity of the network. Paramount hosted an intimate gathering this spring "honoring the Trump White House" as the merger remained under review. Paramount agreed to move forward with Brett Ratner’s “Rush Hour 4” after Trump personally pressed the company to revive the franchise. At the same time, the new direction at Ellison’s CBS News under Bari Weiss sent a loud signal to the White House that a combined media empire would offer a much friendlier space for the president.
Paramount celebrated the decision, saying it was “grateful for the Department of Justice’s thorough review of this transaction, as well as the work of the other agencies that have completed their reviews and provided clearance to date.”
“This deal is pro-competitive, resulting in a stronger company better positioned to compete against dominant technology platforms in an industry increasingly defined by intense competition for audiences, talent, technology, and investment,” the company added.
The government’s green light came despite an extraordinary backlash across Hollywood and the media industry—a furor rarely seen in connection with a corporate merger. Thousands of actors, producers, and entertainment workers signed an open letter opposing the transaction, warning it would eliminate jobs and stifle creativity. Hundreds of journalists, academics, and filmmakers also signed a separate letter warning that Ellison’s takeover of CNN could lead to “sweeping changes” designed to appease Trump, as has occurred at CBS News under Bari Weiss. Democratic lawmakers have likewise raised alarms and demanded that Ellison testify before Congress.
Still, as Paramount executives prepare to pop champagne bottles with administration officials in the shadow of the UFC spectacle, the saga is not over.
The company is still awaiting regulatory approval in Europe, where authorities have set an initial July 14 deadline for a decision. Meanwhile, state attorneys general are preparing a significant challenge of their own.
Rob Bonta, California’s attorney general, has raised concerns about the merger and its potential effects on both the entertainment industry and the state’s economy. Last week, Reuters reported that Bonta and attorneys general in several other states, including New York, were preparing a lawsuit aimed at blocking the deal.
Such a challenge could prove costly for the Ellisons, who face a September 30 deadline to complete the transaction. If they fail to close by then, Paramount will be required to pay shareholders a so-called “ticking fee” of roughly $6.9 million per day.
The litigation could also force meaningful concessions. Paramount executives have already signaled a willingness to divest certain children’s television assets to satisfy European regulators. And its safe to assume that state officials would seek far more significant remedies.
According to an anonymous source cited this week by The Hollywood Reporter, state investigators have identified “theatrical distribution, streaming and news as relevant markets thus far” in their review. “We’re looking at what’s happening with CBS right now,” the person said, referring to concerns about how Ellison’s stewardship of CBS News could impact coverage at CNN.
Indeed, the prospect of combining CNN and CBS News under Ellison has emerged as one of the most troubling aspects of the merger, particularly as the fallout from Weiss’ chaotic and ham-handed overhaul of CBS News continues to spill into public view. And it is precisely that concern—that the transaction could further erode the independence of major news organizations—that state officials are now examining as they weigh whether to challenge the deal.
“The merger of Warner Bros. and Paramount is not a done deal and remains under investigation by my office,” Bonta declared Friday evening.
