'Politics should not be playing a role': Darcy on Trump's role in Warner Bros. Discovery deal

Mergers and Acquisitions & Political Influence - The potential merger of Warner Brothers Discovery, Paramount, and Netflix is drawing unprecedented political involvement from Donald Trump, raising concerns about undue influence [1][2][3] - Trump's concerns about the Netflix deal and his son-in-law Jared Kushner's financial interest in Paramount blur ethical lines in the merger process [2] - The Ellison family's interest in acquiring Warner Brothers Discovery (including CNN) and their acknowledged discussions with Trump raise questions about potential programming changes to appease Trump [3][4] - There are concerns that business leaders are attempting to curry favor with Donald Trump to influence the outcome of the merger [4][5] Conflicts of Interest & Foreign Investment - Jared Kushner's private equity fund's involvement in Paramount's bid raises conflict of interest concerns, especially given Trump's past criticism of the network [6] - Billions of dollars for Paramount's bid are coming from Middle Eastern countries like Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE, raising concerns about foreign influence over a major news organization [7] Regulatory & Media Coverage Concerns - The Ellison family's potential influence over CBS News coverage (softening it to be more Trump-friendly) and potential changes to CNN's coverage if they acquire it are causes for alarm [8][9] - Trump's primary concern regarding the deal is how the news networks might cover him, rather than the entertainment aspects [9]