A report cited by Raw Story states that the U.S.Department of Justice under President Donald Trump approved the proposed acquisition of Warner Bros.Discovery by Paramount Skydance despite concerns raised by career antitrust lawyers involved in reviewing the transaction.

According to reporting from The Wall Street Journal, staff attorneys who had spent months examining the deal were reportedly leaning toward recommending legal action to challenge the merger, arguing that combining the companies' movie studio assets could reduce competition and potentially violate antitrust laws.

However, before those lawyers formally reached a conclusion, senior DOJ officials allegedly ended the investigation and publicly announced that the merger did not pose a significant threat to market competition.

The report says department leadership was persuaded by arguments from Paramount CEO David Ellison, whose company maintained that the combined business would remain competitive and capable of sustaining a substantial number of theatrical film releases each year despite increased debt obligations.

The Department of Justice rejected claims that the review process was rushed, stating that it conducted a thorough investigation and concluded that the transaction would enhance competition across the media and entertainment industry, benefiting consumers and workers.

The article also notes broader concerns among media observers that the merger could lead to organizational and editorial changes at CNN, which is part of Warner Bros.Discovery.

Some analysts have suggested that high-profile journalists and on-air personalities known for critical coverage of Trump could face reassignment or removal as part of post-merger restructuring, although no such actions have been officially announced.