Trump's '60 Minutes' Fixation Targets MAGA-Backed CBS Executives

Donald Trump has been vocal in his frustrations with 60 Minutes, a long-standing CBS Sunday night newsmagazine that he claims is unkind and biased toward him. His recent outbursts have not only targeted the program but also the new ownership of CBS News' parent company, Paramount. This situation has arisen as Paramount is attempting to secure Trump's approval for its hostile takeover bid of Warner Bros. Discovery.

Trump’s discontent stems from what he perceives as unfair treatment by 60 Minutes since the so-called "takeover." In a recent post on Truth Social, he expressed his frustration, stating that the show has treated him worse than ever before. He even went as far as saying, “If they are friends, I’d hate to see my enemies!”

This tension comes after a recent interview featuring Marjorie Taylor Greene, a former Trump loyalist turned critic. The interview, conducted by 60 Minutes correspondent Lesley Stahl, led to Trump criticizing both Greene and Stahl. He also accused the new ownership of allowing the interview to air, which he felt was an insult.

David Ellison, the chairman of Paramount, along with his father Larry Ellison, has been leveraging their long-standing relationship with Trump to gain an advantage in acquiring Warner Bros. Discovery. Despite Trump's public support for Paramount in the bidding war, it seems he is reminding them who holds the power.

On the day the hostile takeover bid was submitted, Trump was still upset about the Greene interview. He made comments suggesting that he was no longer on good terms with the Ellisons. When questioned about his involvement in approving a WBD deal, he mentioned the need to assess market percentages for both Netflix and Paramount.

Later in the week, Trump indicated his preference for Paramount's bid for Warner Bros., emphasizing the importance of CNN being part of any deal. While the Netflix merger would spin off CNN into a separate company, Paramount aims to acquire all of Warner's assets.

In addition, Ellison has spoken about plans to merge CNN with CBS News, which he recently placed under the control of Bari Weiss, known for her anti-woke stance. According to the Wall Street Journal, Ellison assured Trump administration officials that he would make significant changes to CNN if he acquired Warner Bros. Meanwhile, the Ellisons have also brought in Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, as an investor in the Warner Bros. bid.

Trump has expressed his views on CNN, calling it a "dishonest group of people" and stating that it should not continue as it is. He emphasized the need for any deal to guarantee that CNN is either part of the deal or sold separately.

To address the fallout from the 60 Minutes interview, the Ellisons have been working to reassure the White House. According to the New York Post, David Ellison claimed he was unaware of the broadcast until the day it aired, along with other executives. Sources suggest that they were caught off guard by the interview.

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