CNN's reporters have been excluded from attending a White House state dinner for Chinese President Xi Jinping, but the news outlet's future owner, David Ellison, will be dining with Trump, Xi and major technology executives. Ellison is seeking federal approval for a $111 billion merger of Paramount with Warner Bros Discovery, and his attendance at the high-profile event underscores his growing proximity to the Trump administration. This proximity has become controversial amongst critics of the proposed merger, given concerns about potential influence over major news outlets including CNN and CBS News that would fall under the combined company's control.

The state dinner guest list includes prominent technology leaders such as Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Sam Altman, Jensen Huang and Satya Nadella, alongside traditional industry titans like JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon, Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg, Tim Cook and Jeff Bezos. CNN, along with MSNBC and Politico, had previously been banned from the White House by Trump; whilst a federal judge ordered their re-credentialing, CNN was excluded once again from this particular event. The dinner also includes Chinese officials, White House staff, Cabinet members, congressional Republican leaders and several Supreme Court justices, whilst Fox News personalities attend with their spouses.