Former President Donald Trump stated on CNN that his administration is actively working to put the network “on a normal path,” comments that immediately raised concerns about press independence and government influence over media coverage.
Trump phoned into CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday to discuss Senator Lindsey Graham’s death and limited his participation to that topic. Anchor Jake Tapper did not challenge the president’s statement about directing the network’s direction and ended the call by thanking him for his time.
What Trump Said
“We’re trying to have CNN go on a normal path, and we’ll do that,” Trump said during the live segment. The remarks marked an explicit acknowledgment of efforts to influence editorial direction at a major news organization.
Tapper responded without objection to Trump’s claim, telling the president, “Well, I’m on a normal path right here, sir, and I appreciate your time.” The anchor declined to ask follow-up questions about the statement and instead invited Trump to return for future interviews.
The Response
Social media users quickly criticized both Trump’s statement and Tapper’s response. Viewers characterized the exchange as evidence of media capitulation, with some suggesting it violated basic principles of press independence.
One commenter noted that determining a news organization’s editorial path should not fall to the sitting president. Others pointed to the timing of the comments, which came as the Justice Department reviewed Paramount Global’s acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, CNN’s parent company.
The Broader Context
The remarks occurred amid ongoing regulatory review of media ownership changes. A merger approval could potentially depend on maintaining favorable relations with the current administration, raising questions about potential leverage.
Months earlier, Tapper had stated on air that CNN’s responsibility “is not to try and please the president or only report the statements he likes.” The Sunday interaction appeared to reflect a different approach to presidential access and editorial independence.
This story has been updated. CNN’s media team contributed to this report.
