Trump DOJ Bypasses Antitrust Staff to Approve $111 Billion Media Merger

Career lawyers assigned to the $111 billion proposal had been preparing to argue that the consolidation of the two media giants would stifle competition. According to reports, these staff members were excluded from drafting the DOJ’s unexpected endorsement, which was released last Friday. The maneuver has sparked immediate allegations of political favoritism, particularly as David Ellison, CEO of Paramount Skydance and son of a prominent Trump megadonor, recently dined with the president at a White House event.

Senator Elizabeth Warren condemned the move, labeling the interference as evidence of corruption. Critics argue the DOJ’s intervention serves to handicap state attorneys general, such as California’s Rob Bonta, who have vowed to continue their own investigations into the potential impact on consumers. The antitrust division, currently led by Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward, faces mounting scrutiny over its pattern of clearing high-profile corporate mergers despite internal warnings from staff.