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David Ellison, Erika Kirk and Kevin O’Leary to Attend State of the Union as Media Personalities Descend on DC
#State of the Union#David Ellison#Paramount#Warner Bros. Discovery#Kevin O'Leary#Media Personalities#Washington D.C.
📌 Key Takeaways
David Ellison and Kevin O'Leary are attending as guests of Republican senators.
Media personalities are descending on DC for the State of the Union.
Ellison is seeking to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery.
The guest list blends traditional Hollywood and digital influencers.
Erika Kirk is attending as a personal guest of President Trump.
📖 Full Retelling
High-profile media personalities ranging from traditional studio executives to conservative digital creators are set to descend on Washington D.C. for President Trump’s State of the Union address on Tuesday, underscoring the shifting dynamics between Hollywood and the political sphere. The guest list features a mix of industry moguls, such as David Ellison of Paramount, and digital-native conservatives like Nick Shirley, alongside personal guests of the President. This gathering serves as a visual representation of how media empires, both old and new, are increasingly shaping the national political agenda and aligning with key legislative figures.
Among the distinguished guests is Erika Kirk, the widow of the late conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who is attending as a guest of the President, and Kevin O’Leary, the 'Shark Tank' host representing Senator Rick Scott. Ellison, a central figure in the entertainment industry, is present as a guest of Senator Lindsay Graham, a move that may signal his confidence in the regulatory environment as Paramount aggressively pursues a takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery. The inclusion of controversial figures like Shirley, who sparked a news cycle with his exposé of Minneapolis childcare centers, alongside more traditional guests like NASA astronauts, underscores the eclectic nature of the current media-political landscape.
The presence of these high-profile media figures at the Capitol is not merely ceremonial but reflects deep-seated business and ideological alliances. Paramount’s recent decision to sweeten its bid for WBD leans heavily on the confidence that regulatory approvals are achievable, and having a powerful ally like Senator Graham in attendance could bolster this sentiment. As the deadline for the deal approaches, the State of the Union provides a high-visibility stage for these media power brokers to align themselves with the executive branch, signaling a new era where content control is directly linked to legislative support and political capital.
Annual report by the president of the United States
The State of the Union address (sometimes abbreviated to SOTU) is an annual message delivered by the president of the United States to a joint session of the United States Congress near the beginning of most calendar years on the current condition of the nation. The speech generally includes reports...
David Ellison (born January 9, 1983) is an American media executive, film producer, and former actor, currently serving as chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) of Paramount Skydance since August 2025. He is the son of Oracle Corporation co-founder Larry Ellison, a centibillionaire.
He founded ...
Erika Lane Kirk (née Frantzve; born November 20, 1988) is an American businesswoman, nonprofit executive, and podcaster. She serves as chairwoman and CEO of Turning Point USA (TPUSA), a conservative organization co-founded and led by her late husband, Charlie Kirk, until his assassination in Septemb...
Share on Facebook Share on X Google Preferred Share to Flipboard Show additional share options Share on LinkedIn Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share on Tumblr Share on Whats App Send an Email Print the Article Post a Comment When President Donald trump delivers his State of the Union address to Congress tonight, the audience will be filled with high-profile media personalities, both old and new. That includes David Ellison , the CEO of Paramount , who is seeking to pry Warner Bros. Discovery away from Netflix in a blockbuster deal; and Erika Kirk, who will be attending as Trump’s guest. It also includes Nick Shirley, the controversial conservative creator whose expose of Minneapolis childcare centers sparked an entire news cycle in right-leaning media; and Kevin O’Leary, the Shark Tank host and Marty Supreme surprise . Related Stories Business Whistleblower Claims Paramount President Jeff Shell Leaked Details of $7.7 Billion UFC Deal Business Warner Bros. Discovery Says It's Reviewing Sweetened Paramount Bid Only Kirk, the widow of the late conservative activist Charlie Kirk , who was murdered last year, is attending a guest of the president. Ellison is attending as a guest of Sen. Lindsay Graham (R-SC); while O’Leary is attending as a guest of Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL). Shirley is attending as a guest of Rep. Peter Stauber (R-MN). While there are plenty of more widely-expected guests attending (NASA astronauts, the family of Jesse Jackson, survivors of Jeffrey Epstein), the media-heavy guest list underscores how the political landscape is increasingly being shaped by new power centers, from digital natives like Kirk and Shirley to new era moguls like Ellison. Ellison, of course, is in the midst of trying to steal WBD from Netflix, with the company telling investors Tuesday that it was warming to Paramount’s sweetened bid , which leans heavily on its confidence that it can get the deal through regulatory approvals. Attending the SOTU as a guest of one of the most ...
