Trump Addresses DC Elite at Paramount CEO’s Dinner Amid $111B Merger Review

Former U.S. President Donald Trump delivered a nearly hour-long speech at a private dinner hosted by Paramount Global CEO David Ellison in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, according to The New York Times.

The closed-door event, held at the U.S. Institute of Peace, included prominent CBS News figures such as editor-in-chief Bari Weiss and former evening news anchor Norah O’Donnell. White House officials in attendance included Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, per two unnamed individuals cited by the Times.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and Paramount’s chief legal officer Makan Delrahim were also present, seated with Trump at the dinner.

Dinner Held Amid Regulatory Scrutiny of $111B Merger

The gathering took place two days before the White House Correspondents’ Dinner and on the same day that Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders approved Paramount’s $111 billion acquisition of the company. The deal now faces federal review, with critics raising anti-competition concerns.

Paramount’s proposed merger with Warner Bros. Discovery has drawn scrutiny from Hollywood stakeholders and calls for attorneys general to block the deal over competition issues.

Event Originally Promoted as Honoring Trump White House

TheWrap reported on Thursday that Trump was expected to attend the dinner, which was advertised on its invitation as “honoring the Trump White House.”

The event’s location, initially reported as the Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace, was later clarified as the U.S. Institute of Peace—a name change made by the State Department in 2023.

Word of the dinner first emerged last week, with reports indicating it was intended to honor Trump and CBS News’ White House reporters.