CNN Boss Told Staff To ‘Ease Up’ On East Wing Demolition Coverage: REPORT

CNN CEO Mark Thompson told journalists to scale back coverage of President Trump’s East Wing demolition the day after visiting the White House, according to a report.

Thompson suggested during a Thursday editorial call that the network should “ease up” on covering the controversial renovation project because viewers “aren’t all that interested in the story,” two people familiar with the matter told Status newsletter. The guidance came one day after Thompson met with administration officials at the White House.

The CNN chief visited the White House Wednesday to introduce the network’s new direct-to-consumer streaming product launching next week, according to Status. Thompson carries the editor-in-chief title but typically avoids editorial matters. He wants to build the streaming service with a “big tent approach.” The goal is to reach all sides, a Thompson confidant told the outlet.

Staffers found the timing suspicious. They wondered what coverage might face discouragement next, Status reported. The guidance arrived as Trump tears down the East Wing to construct a ballroom, a project that polls show most Americans oppose. (RELATED: Trump Denies He’s Naming White House Ballroom After Himself)

Scoop: During a trip to DC last week, CNN CEO Mark Thompson made a visit to the White House, where he promoted the network’s new streamer

Staffers were taken aback the next morning when Thompson urged to ease up on East Wing renovation coveragehttps://t.co/MqLCAdqL6i

— Natalie Korach (@NatalieKorach) October 27, 2025

CNN staffers were “taken aback” by Thompson’s comments, which they called “bizarre.” The New York Post noted Warner Bros. Discovery recently put itself up for sale, with the Trump administration reportedly favoring Paramount Skydance as a buyer.

CNN pushed back hard on the reporting. “This is reckless and irresponsible conjecture without any fact-checking done prior to publication,” a CNN spokesperson told The Hill on Monday. The network confirmed Thompson’s White House visit but denied he urged journalists to reduce demolition coverage.

The White House has called media coverage of the renovation “manufactured outrage.”