Status News scoop: CNN's CEO visited the White House, then next day asked staffers to cut back on East Wing story

[highplainsdem]

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 them to ease up on East Wing renovation coverage
www.status.news/p/mark-thomp...

— Natalie Korach (@nataliekorach.bsky.social) 2025-10-27T02:20:39.872Z

https://www.status.news/p/mark-thompson-cnn-white-house-east-wing-demolition

On Wednesday, as Donald Trump tore down the East Wing to build his ballroom, the White House had a visitor who raised eyebrows across Washington. CNN chief Mark Thompson made a rare appearance at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., according to multiple people familiar with the matter.

The meeting was ostensibly about introducing to the administration the network’s new direct-to-consumer streaming product launching next week, laying the groundwork for officials to appear on CNN, a person familiar with the matter told Status. But given the swirl of speculation surrounding the cable network, with parent company Warner Bros. Discovery having publicly put itself up for auction, the question of Donald Trump’s animosity toward CNN, and how that might manifest itself in the process, is very much on people’s minds.

-snip-

Still, staffers were taken aback the next morning, when Thompson suggested during the daily network editorial call that it should ease up on covering Trump’s East Wing demolition, claiming that their viewership isn’t all that interested in the story, according to two people familiar with the matter. The comment struck many as bizarre coming from Thompson, who despite carrying the editor in chief title generally tends not to wade too much into the minutia of the network’s editorial process.

The guidance suggested Thompson was trying to soften CNN’s coverage of Trump on an issue the administration has sought to keep out of public view as polls show most Americans disapprove of the action. Whether or not the East Wing project was among the topics of conversation during Thompson’s White House meeting, the timing felt suspicious, with staffers wondering what coverage might be discouraged next. A network spokesperson declined to comment on the subject matter of the visit.

-snip-

[SheltieLover]

1. Shocking

[BlueWaveNeverEnd]

2. Wow

[Cha]

3. Yep CNN one of the most

Last edited Mon Oct 27, 2025, 04:55 PM - Edit history (1)

Propaganda Stations.

If I had a TV I would Not watch them They hate Democracy and really like Demolishing our Nation.

Fuck You, Mark Thomson.. You're Fucking with US.

EDIT: to get the damn station right. TY

[ColoringFool]

9. CNN?

Article said CNN.

[Cha]

19. Oh TY.. Sorry.. I shall fix it.

[Keepthesoulalive]

4. Why won't people believe they are compromised

If you say anything about the legacy media, folks think you are fear mongering . They cannot accept the media is an arm of the republican government. We must find new avenues of information.

[blue_jay]

5. I don't know but tired of the dimwits who still believe it's a liberal dominated media.

They are very certain of it, so many years of being spoon fed lies by convincing personas.

[MaineBlueBear]

6. They were programmed to believe the lies

[MIButterfly]

7. I once told my aunt and uncle that there is no such thing as liberal media.

They laughed right in my face as if I had said the funniest thing they ever heard in their lives. That's how far down the rabbit hole they are.

You can't reason with those kinds of people.

[blue_jay]

21. It is simultaneously mind boggling and horrifying

I still desperately hope one day we will find a way to deprogram as many as possible or reality will shake them awake.

[PuraVidaDreamin]

8. He's got that classic pedophile look.

These Nazi's got something on everyone in upper echelon positions, don't they?

[spanone]

10. trmp is chipping away at the freedom of the press.

...and the media seems compliant.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

11. More commentary

Reposted by Total Lowlife Hat
https://bsky.app/profile/kenwhite.bsky.social

Steve Herman
‪@newsguy.bsky.social‬

CNN editor-in-chief Mark Thompson, following a While House meeting, sought to soften the news network's coverage of President Trump's demolition of the East Wing, claiming viewers aren't that interested in the story, according to the Status newsletter.
October 26, 2025 at 10:32 PM

CNN editor-in-chief Mark Thompson, following a While House meeting, sought to soften the news network's coverage of President Trump's demolition of the East Wing, claiming viewers aren't that interested in the story, according to the Status newsletter.

— Steve Herman (@newsguy.bsky.social) 2025-10-27T02:32:46.379Z

[MoseShrute]

12. An employee should have asked him

if it was ok to replace that coverage with more info on the Epstein files.

[yorkster]

13. Last night on The Weekend I heard Lauren A.

Wright say (paraphrasing) that the East Wing teardown was not the story that media insiders like themselves thought it was. Of course she went on to cite the economy, inflation, etc.
as being much more on the public mind -
as if it's not all of a piece and hugely problematic. It was typical of the ongoing "kitchen table issues" simplification of the destruction of our entire system of government. It ALL has to be talked about. No money for public programs, like health care, massive furloughs, massive grifting from Trump ln down, Epstein, Argentina's 40B, Venezuela(!!) and this massive carbuncle replacing the East Wing
and on and on.

I kept waiting for the hosts to respond, but it was weak. Charlotte Rampell had the strongest response. I was wondering why the hell Lauren Wright was on MSNBC to begin with. I watched more telly than usual in recent days because they were Tearing Down the Effing East Wing, and Wright's slant on the matter was conspicuously contrary to what I had been hearing elsewhere.

[RedWhiteBlueIsRacist]

14. At this point, the Media is just doing "catch & kill" stories for trump/gop.

They are afraid of furor from the fuhrer.

[peggysue2]

15. Following the traditional CNN line: . . .

Ah yes, Trump may be bad for the country, but he's great for TV (business profits).

So, let's underplay the wanton destruction of the People's House to get a fist bump from King Donald.

Because corporations are People, doncha know?

Here's a thought--capitulation is the sign of weakness and greed. Once Trump and MAGA is done, over, kaput, we should all remember what corporations bent the knee to the false king over the American citizenry.

Make your list now. Title it: Collaborators.

[SocialDemocrat61]

16. The Corrupt News Network

[kentuck]

17. The White House understand the potential political damage in the story...

If the Democrats chose to use it against them.

[travelingthrulife]

18. Do not watch these shows. Let the independent journalists bring it to you

if relevant.

[NameAlreadyTaken]

20. Censorship

[struggle4progress]

22. "Don't criticize our Fuhrer!"