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Donald Trump appeared on CNN for the first time in his second presidential term on Sunday, giving a phoner on Jake Tapper’s show to remember the late South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham. But as Tapper pressed the President on Iran and other issues, and invited him back for a more wide-ranging discussion, Trump responded “we’re trying to have CNN go in a normal path, and we’ll do that.”
“Well, I‘m on a normal path right here, sir, and I appreciate your time,” Tapper responded. “Thank you for calling in.”
The comment raised some eyebrows across the news business. Who was the “we” in this case? The U.S. government? Trump and Paramount CEO David Ellison, who is trying to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery in a $111 billion megadeal? The comment raised more questions than it answered, with a producer at a CNN competitor noting that Tapper met with Paramount CEO David Ellison earlier this year.
Inside CNN, suffice it to say, anxiety has reigned supreme in recent months, even as CEO Mark Thompson has tried to steady the ship and keep staff on track, while acknowledging internally in staff meetings that he isn’t sure what will happen next.
