Ellison Attends State Dinner as CNN Continues to Be Shut Out of White House
Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison attended the White House state dinner with President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, even as CNN remains barred from covering White House events. A federal judge had ordered access for CNN, Politico, and MS NOW, but the White House defied the order and only restored access later in the day. Ellison is awaiting approval for a merger that would give him control of CNN's parent company.
Judge Timothy Kelly's order had explicitly granted CNN, Politico, and MS NOW access to White House events. The White House told the court access was restored by 9:55 a.m., but the outlets reported being kept out until around noon, missing the press conference with Xi. The ban was later reimposed for the evening dinner.
Ellison attended while awaiting approval for the $110 billion Paramount-Warner Bros. merger, which would put CNN under his control. Paramount also owns CBS, which has been boycotting presidential broadcasts. Ellison's presence at the dinner, while his future network is barred, underscores the conflict between business interests and press access.
This episode could set a troubling precedent for executive defiance of judicial orders regarding press access, potentially normalizing selective media bans. If the White House continues to ignore court rulings, public access to independent reporting on presidential events may diminish, affecting citizens' ability to scrutinize government actions. Ellison's proximity to Trump while his network is barred may also signal that corporate leadership prioritizes merger approval over journalistic integrity, which could influence how other media owners navigate political pressure.