‘Breaking News…’: Tapper Tells Viewers CNN May Taken Over by David Ellison
CNN anchor Jake Tapper emotionally told viewers on Thursday’s episode of “The Lead” that Paramount Skydance is about to buy Warner Bros. Discovery and potentially CNN.
On Thursday, Netflix said it would not match Paramount’s $111 billion offer for WBD. Netflix made a tentative deal to buy most of WBD, including HBO and the Warner Bros. movie studio, but not CNN. Paramount then made a counteroffer, and Netflix chose not to offer more. The U.S. and Europe will need to approve the purchase.
But according to reports, Paramount CEO David Ellison told the Trump administration that he would “make sweeping changes to CNN” if his company bought it. President Donald Trump spoke out about the drama in the media industry and said that “CNN must be sold.” Trump has been complaining about the network for a long time, saying that it is unfair to him.
When the news broke, Tapper came back from a break and told viewers that Netflix had dropped its bid and that Paramount was now the highest bidder for Warner Bros. and HBO. He also mentioned that Paramount wanted to buy CNN:
“So we have some breaking news in our national lead that affects everybody I’m looking at right now in the studio,” Tapper began.
“Moments ago, Netflix said it is declining to raise its offer for the purchase of Warner Bros. Studios and HBO, following the Warner Bros. Discovery board’s determination that Paramount, which is not just going for Warner Bros. Studios and HBO, but also the whole enchilada, including us here at CNN, Paramount has submitted a superior offer according to Warner Bros. Discovery’s board. As I’ve noted, Warner Bros. Discovery is the parent company of CNN,” Tapper said.
WATCH:
Ellison’s Skydance bought Paramount and its subsidiary CBS last year. After the move, Ellison and Bari Weiss, who started the anti-woke Free Press, made a deal. Weiss got $150 million for the website and was named editor-in-chief of CBS News.
This also comes as CNN’s ratings have been plunging for well over a year while Fox News has been dominating viewership.
Fox News finished February by beating CBS in primetime viewership for the month, making it one of its best months since March 2025.
FNC had an average of 2.6 million viewers in primetime from Monday to Sunday, while CBS had 2.4 million viewers. This was the lowest February performance for the broadcast network since 2000.
Fox News had 3.1 million viewers on weeknights and 316,000 adults aged 25 to 54, which is the demographic that advertisers want. CBS only had 2 million viewers and 278,000 adults aged 25 to 54. This was the first time in 2026 that FNC beat CBS in both categories.
FNC had 1.7 million viewers during the whole day and was the most popular cable news channel among Hispanic and wealthy viewers during primetime. All of the month’s top 100 cable news shows were also on the network, and every show in its weekday lineup had its best month since at least September.
In the meantime, CBS had its worst primetime month since the turn of the century, with “CBS Evening News,” “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” and “CBS Mornings” all getting the lowest ratings in February history. During primetime this century, ABC also had its lowest-rated February among the key demo.
“Special Report with Bret Baier,” FNC’s nightly news show, had an average of more than 3.1 million viewers and 289,000 viewers in the 25-54 age group. This was the most-watched month since March 2025.
The show beat “CBS Evening News” in 14 major markets, including New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Atlanta, and Washington, D.C. It also beat ABC’s “World News Tonight” in markets like New Orleans and Jacksonville.
“The Five” was the most popular show on TV at 5 p.m. ET, with more than 4 million viewers and 337,000 in the 25-54 demo.
It beat out ABC’s “911 Nashville” and NBC’s “Happy’s Place.” “Jesse Watters Primetime” had 3.4 million viewers and 329,000 in the demo at 8 p.m. ET, making it the most popular primetime show. It was just ahead of ABC’s “20/20.”
FNC also did well late at night. “Gutfeld!” stayed on top of both broadcast and cable, with over 3 million viewers and 347,000 in the 25-54 age group. It beat out shows like ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” and CBS’s “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.”
The morning shows on Fox News were still very popular with viewers. “FOX & Friends” ended February with 1.4 million viewers, making it the No. 1 cable news morning show for 60 months in a row in the 25-54 age group, beating CNN and MS NOW combined.
In 20 major markets, “FOX & Friends” beat “CBS Mornings” and in several key cities, it beat “Good Morning America” on ABC and “Today” on NBC.
Daytime shows kept getting more popular, with “America’s Newsroom,” “The Faulkner Focus,” “Outnumbered,” “America Reports,” and “The Story with Martha MacCallum” all getting about 2 million viewers or more. At 4 p.m. ET, “The Will Cain Show” continued to grow, drawing 2.3 million viewers.
A NATIONALLY TELEVISED RECKONING: SENATOR JOHN KENNEDY READS AOC’S ENTIRE THREAD WORD FOR WORD ON AIR
When Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez took to social media to label Senator John Kennedy “dangerous” and declare that dissenting voices “needed to be silenced,” she likely anticipated a standard partisan retort. Instead, the Louisiana Senator delivered a calculated, unedited counterstrike that captured national headlines.
Bypassing Spin: The Unvarnished Record
Rather than trading insults online or issuing a press release, Kennedy carried the confrontation straight to a nationally televised public forum. Armed with a printed stack of records, the Senator took the podium, paused, and began reading AOC’s entire thread aloud into the microphone.
Every single post. Word for word. No commentary, no edits, and no interruptions.
The impact was immediate. By simply reading the text exactly as written, Kennedy turned the words themselves into the centerpiece of the discussion, forcing viewers to confront the rhetoric on its face without the buffer of online talking heads or social media spin.
The Constitutional Contrast
Once the last tweet was read into the record, Kennedy methodically dismantled the core premise of the argument. Drawing directly on the First Amendment, the Senator offered a biting, forensic critique of modern cancel culture and political double standards:
Free Speech vs. Political Censorship: Kennedy underscored the bedrock constitutional principle that no elected official has the authority to dictate who is permitted to speak or whose views are deemed acceptable.
The Receipts on Display: By contrasting the calls for silencing opponents against past defenses of radical speech, Kennedy highlighted what critics called a glaring standard of selective outrage.
Composure Over Outrage: Refusing to raise his voice, Kennedy let his trademark folksy calm underline the gravity of the constitutional stakes, turning the moment from a political spat into an indictment of authoritarian impulses.
A Turning Point in the Political Debate
The stark visual of a veteran senator calmly holding up public statements and letting them speak for themselves resonated widely, sparking an immediate frenzy across political broadcasts and digital platforms. The exchange shifted the spotlight from party lines to fundamental questions about accountability, public discourse, and the right to dissent.
By trading digital outrage for a live, unedited reading of the public record, Kennedy didn’t just answer a challenge—he forced Washington into a broader reckoning over the language of modern politics.
Will moments like this reshape how political battles are fought going forward? Share your thoughts below!
SENATE SHOWDOWN: ADAM SCHIFF’S GAMBIT CRUMBLES AS SENATOR JOHN KENNEDY DELIVERS A DEVASTATING TAKEDOWN
What began as a standard Senate hearing on intelligence reform erupted into one of the most explosive political confrontations in recent Capitol Hill history. Congressman Adam Schiff’s attempt to outmaneuver Senator John Kennedy reversed course dramatically, culminating in an extraordinary defeat that left the hearing room—and viewers across the country—stunned.
An Ambush Derailed
Schiff opened the session with an aggressive gambit, looking to steer the proceedings and dictate the narrative. Framing the discussion around intelligence protocols, Schiff quickly pivoted to launch familiar rhetorical salvos, attempting to put committee members on the defensive with sweeping assertions.
Kennedy, however, refused to yield an inch of ground. Known for pairing a drawling, down-home demeanor with razor-sharp legal acumen, the Louisiana Senator sat back, waited for Schiff to overreach, and sprang a meticulously constructed trap.
The Masterclass in Cross-Examination
Rather than trading partisan talking points, Kennedy methodically built his counterattack on raw documentation. Point by point, the Senator systematically challenged Schiff's record:
Dissecting past statements and intelligence memos line by line against verified committee findings.
Pressing hard on questions of procedural transparency, selective disclosures, and ethical boundaries.
Turning Schiff’s own past arguments back on him with unflinching, forensic precision.
As Kennedy tightened the focus on specific ethical violations and questionable oversight decisions, Schiff’s confident posture began to erode under the relentless questioning.
The Live-Broadcast Climax
The confrontation reached a boiling point when Kennedy introduced a critical piece of official correspondence into the record. The document struck at the core of Schiff’s defense, leaving no procedural exit.
In a shocking scene broadcast live to the public, the tension at the witness table snapped. Confronted with the unassailable evidence, Schiff’s own legal counsel hesitated, gathered their materials, and stepped away from the table—leaving Schiff isolated before the microphone without an answer.
The hearing room went dead silent. Schiff, deprived of both rebuttal and support, could only sit in stunned silence as the final seconds ticked away.
The dramatic clash has triggered shockwaves throughout Washington, with analysts hailing the exchange as a benchmark demonstration of rigorous congressional oversight and accountability.
What are your thoughts on this dramatic Senate face-off? Share your perspective below!
