President Donald Trump reacts after signing an executive order in the South Court Auditorium on the White House campus in Washington, D.C., August 5, 2025. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst
President Donald Trump and his MAGA movement's takeover efforts are "beatable," according to a new breakdown from the New York Times, and the major recent "setback" against one of his top media allies shows how to do it.
Earlier this week, Paramount agreed to delay its acquisition of Warner Bros. to allow a lawsuit against the merger from 12 state Attorneys General to play out. The process will now resume in either June 2027 or five days after a trial decision allowing the merger to go through, pending any further delays.
Paramount itself was also recently taken over by Skydance in 2025, putting it under the control of the wealthy Trump backer, David Ellison. This change has been the most visible at Paramount's news outlet, CBS, where Ellison has pushed it to be much more Trump- and MAGA-friendly, sending its ratings and credibility into freefall. Critics now worry that a similar fate awaits CNN, the news network in the Warner Bros. portfolio, as well as a general shift towards the iconic studio producing fewer films each year, and Ellison potentially nixing anything that is not Republican-friendly enough.
With this significant new delay, there is renewed hope that the merger might fall apart in court. Writing for the New York Times on Tuesday, columnist Michelle Goldberg spoke with lawyer Norm Eisen about the situation, and he explained how it shows "that Trump is beatable if you take a page from his playbook and flood the zone with opposition." She heard a similar sentiment when she spoke with Mark Ruffalo, one of the most outspoken anti-merger actors in Hollywood.
"The mere possibility that the deal could be defeated, said Ruffalo, has strengthened resistance in Hollywood," Goldberg wrote. "After Paramount announced its pause, SAG-AFTRA, the union that represents actors, broadcasters and recording artists, finally voted to oppose the merger. There’s a growing understanding, said Ruffalo, that if you let yourself be cowed by MAGA, 'you’re doomed. If you fight, at least you have a fighting chance. And they’re losing their grip on power. They’re losing their grip on their narrative.' As Trump looks ever less indomitable, so does his dream of remaking American culture in his image."
While Paramount's merger could still ultimately prevail, Goldberg noted that this pause could still cause it significant pain. If the delay lasts until next summer, it could cost the studio around $2 billion in fees. It could also force it to accept a settlement, whereby it agrees to spin off and relinquish control of CNN, or to make promises about protecting jobs within the company.
“I think it’s seismic,” media reporter Oliver Darcy told Golberg. “And it certainly puts into question whether this deal will cross the finish line.”
