White House Escalates Attacks on CNN as Network Sits at Center of High-Stakes Sale

The White House intensified its criticism of CNN on Thursday, targeting the network as it becomes increasingly entangled in a major media sale in which President Donald Trump has political and family connections.

Echoing Trump’s frequent attacks on the press, senior administration officials went after the network on social media.
“CNN = Chicken News Network,” White House communications director Steven Cheung wrote on X, accusing the channel of avoiding an interview with Trump adviser Stephen Miller “presumably because they are scared Stephen will school them.”

Vice President JD Vance amplified the message, saying: “If CNN wants to be a real news network it should feature important voices from our administration.”

A CNN spokesperson told Fox News that Miller remains welcome on the network, saying editorial decisions are based on daily news priorities and that “we look forward to having Stephen on again in the future as the news warrants.”

The most aggressive attack came from an official White House account, Rapid Response 47, which targeted anchor Kaitlan Collins, calling her “a mouthpiece for the Democrat Party.” A day earlier, Trump made a similar accusation to another CNN reporter, telling them they “work for the Democrats.”

CNN has not publicly responded to the latest claims, but has previously defended its commitment to objective and fair journalism.

CNN’s Future Entangled in Paramount–Netflix Bidding War

CNN, founded in 1980 and currently owned by Warner Bros. Discovery, sits at the center of a heated bidding battle involving Netflix and Paramount Skydance, led by CEO David Ellison — the son of Trump ally Larry Ellison.

Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner has joined Paramount’s bid via his investment firm, further deepening the political stakes.

Trump has signaled he may weigh in on any government decision regarding the sale — a process typically handled by the Justice Department. Under Paramount’s proposal, CNN would go to the Ellison-led conglomerate. Under the Netflix plan, CNN and other cable properties would be sold off separately before the broader acquisition.

The 79-year-old president said Wednesday he wants CNN to end up with new ownership, appearing to signal support for the Paramount bid.

“I don’t think the people that are running that company right now and running CNN, which is a very dishonest group of people — I don’t think that should be allowed to continue,” Trump said. “I think CNN should be sold along with everything else.”