Skydance chief executive David Ellison said CNN and CBS News will keep full editorial independence, even as he faced scrutiny over his close ties to the Trump White House. Ellison told reporters at a Tuesday briefing about the completed merger between Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros Discovery that he maintains working relationships with leaders across the political spectrum.

He cited past and current connections with President Biden, Republican Senator Tim Scott, and California Governor Gavin Newsom. He stressed that engaging with officials from both parties is standard practice for a company operating in a business-friendly environment. “We do not want to politicize the company,” he said. He added that both news divisions will operate with complete autonomy, a stance he reiterated during an earlier employee meeting.

When pressed about discussions with Donald Trump regarding CNN, Ellison declined to detail those conversations. He emphasized that the company has only spoken to politicians about its commitment to accuracy and trust. Ellison publicly backed the executives he selected to run the news outlets, confirming that CNN chief Mark Thompson and CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss will stay in their posts. Thompson announced his continued role in a memo to staff on Monday, and Skydance formally verified Weiss’s position. Ellison expressed strong support for both leaders.

The executive addressed questions about whether the two networks would merge or undergo staff reductions. He and his management team will spend the coming months reviewing operations before making structural decisions. Ellison clarified that the majority of the $6bn in projected merger savings will come from operational adjustments rather than workforce cuts.