Dozens of protesters, including actual members of Congress, gathered along the National Mall on Thursday to protest an “intimate” dinner thrown by Paramount Skydance chief executive David Ellison. The event was ostensibly “in celebration of the First Amendment” and “honoring the Trump White House and CBS White House Correspondents” - and Donald Trump was the guest of honor. Nothing says free press like feting the guy who calls journalists the enemy of the people, but sure.
Paramount has faced criticism for the dinner, which critics say illustrates the cozy relationship between the Ellisons and the White House - especially as the Trump administration weighs whether to approve the company’s $110bn merger with CNN parent company WarnerBros Discovery. The dinner comes just before Saturday’s White House correspondents’ dinner, which Trump will attend. His defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, is expected to sit at one of the many tables bought by CBS News for the event. Because nothing says journalistic independence like buying a seat for the guy overseeing the Pentagon.
Earlier Thursday, WBD shareholders voted “overwhelmingly” to approve the merger, which still needs approval from the Department of Justice and European regulators. So there's still time for this thing to go sideways.
US representative Jamie Raskin, who has been vocal in his criticism of the Ellisons’ ownership of CBS News, called the event “a lavish oligarch’s dinner for Donald Trump.” He elaborated: “We’re gathered here together tonight [because] in the building behind us, David Ellison is hosting a dinner to honor President Trump, a dinner that’s designed to cement the Ellisons to the president in their years-running corrupt merger scheme.” Raskin said the merger was “crafted to consolidate old and new media in the interests of the Maga movement and the Donald Trump family.” Subtle.
Becca Balint, the Democratic Vermont lawmaker and member of the House antitrust subcommittee, painted a vivid picture: “Right now, you got David Ellison probably as I speak in that building right behind me raising a glass to his friend, his supporter, his patron, Donald Trump. Think about that for a moment. We’re out here demanding accountability, and inside they are celebrating power. That’s what they’re celebrating: power and corruption.”
Speakers encouraged the crowd not to give up hope on blocking the merger, with many antitrust experts viewing a lawsuit from a coalition of state attorneys general as the most likely vehicle for doing so. Norm Eisen, founder of Democracy Defenders Action, said Thursday’s dinner “resembles a celebration of the first amendment the same way a book burning is a celebration of the written word.” He added: “That has nothing to do with celebrating the first amendment. You all are celebrating the first amendment by being here to block the merger.”