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The Guardian World1 min read
Congress members join protest against ‘oligarch’s dinner’ for Trump thrown by Ellisons
TL;DR
Protesters, including Congress members, rallied against a dinner hosted by David Ellison honoring Donald Trump, viewed as a symbol of his ties to the White House amid a major merger deal. The event has drawn criticism for its implications regarding media influence and corporate relationships.
Key points
- Protesters gathered on the National Mall against a dinner for Trump.
- David Ellison hosted the dinner to honor the Trump White House.
- The event is linked to a $110 billion merger with WarnerBros Discovery.
- Congress member Jamie Raskin criticized the dinner as corrupt.
- The merger requires approval from regulators after shareholder support.
Mentioned in this story
ParamountWarnerBros DiscoveryDonald TrumpJamie RaskinDavid Ellison
Dozens of protesters, including members of Congress, gathered along the National Mall on Thursday to protest an “intimate” dinner being held by Paramount Skydance chief executive David Ellison “in celebration of the First Amendment” and “honoring the Trump White House and CBS White House Correspondents”, and attended by Donald Trump.
Paramount has faced criticism for the dinner, which has been seen by some as illustrative of the cozy relationship between the Ellisons and the White House – right as the Trump administration is weighing whether to approve the company’s $110bn merger with CNN parent company WarnerBros Discovery. The dinner comes 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.
Earlier Thursday, WBD shareholders voted “overwhelmingly” to approve the merger, which will still require approval from the Department of Justice and European regulators.
US representative Jamie Raskin, who has been vocal in his criticism of the Ellisons’ ownership of CBS News, referred to the event as “a lavish oligarch’s dinner for Donald Trump”.
“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.
A protester demonstrating against David Ellison hosting a dinner to honor Trump at the nearby White House, in Washington DC on 23 April. Photograph: Jeremy Barr/The Guardian
The representative said the merger, which would bring a large number of television networks under the control of the Ellisons, was “crafted to consolidate old and new media in the interests of the Maga movement and the Donald Trump family”.
Q&A
What was the purpose of the dinner hosted by David Ellison for Donald Trump?
The dinner was held to celebrate the First Amendment and honor the Trump White House and CBS White House Correspondents.
Why are protesters criticizing the dinner thrown by the Ellisons?
Protesters criticize the dinner as a representation of the Ellisons' close ties to the Trump administration, especially in light of the pending $110 billion merger with WarnerBros Discovery.
What are the implications of the merger between Paramount and WarnerBros Discovery?
The merger, which has received shareholder approval, still requires clearance from the Department of Justice and European regulators, raising concerns about media consolidation and influence.
