How to curry favour with Trump? Offer his son Don Jr. a Discovery Channel show

Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) was allegedly offered a curious path to warming relations with President Donald Trump,giving his eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., his program.

According to journalist Michael Wolff’s new piece for New York Magazine, someone close to the Trump camp suggested to the media company that Trump Jr. was interested in hosting a hunting and fishing series on the Discovery Channel. The article is part of a broader profile of WBD CEO David Zaslav.

Wolff, known for several books on Trump’s political rise and presidency, often criticised by the former president’s allies, claimed, “WBD confirmed that a company representative recently reached out to the Trump orbit seeking advice about how the company might advantageously interact with the White House and improve its Trump-age odour.”

Add WION as a Preferred Source

The article suggests the pitch also included the idea that CNN, owned by WBD, could benefit from including more pro-Trump voices. WBD owns not just the Discovery Channel but also the streaming platform Max and several high-profile media assets, including CNN, which has long been a target of Trump’s criticism.

Wolff also wrote that Trump’s circle pointed to Amazon’s reported $40 million payment to Melania Trump for a documentary as an example. “Don Jr. might like a hunting and fishing show on the Discovery Channel, they were told,” the piece reads.

Trump camp hits back at Wolff

In response to the claims, White House Communications Director Steven Cheung issued a sharp rebuke. Speaking to the Daily Beast, he said, “Michael Wolff is a lying sack of s--- and has been proven to be a fraud. He routinely fabricates stories originating from his sick and warped imagination, only possible because he has a severe and debilitating case of Trump Derangement Syndrome that has rotted his peanut-sized brain.”

Cheung previously criticised Wolff over his recent book All or Nothing, 'How Trump Recaptured America,' which focused on Trump’s current presidential campaign. When asked about the claims in February, he repeated similar remarks, dismissing Wolff’s reporting as fiction.

Watch: US-Iran talks: US President Trump asserts 'Iran cannot have nuclear weapon'

Media industry feels pressure under Trump

This alleged attempt by WBD to stay on good terms with the Trump White House highlights how media organisations are trying to navigate a new political climate under Trump’s second term.

In a related move, Paramount Global has reportedly cut back its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. The move is seen as a bid to align more closely with Trump administration preferences as the company seeks regulatory approval for a merger with Skydance Media.