Tag: News

• Netflix made a winning bid for Warner Bros., but Paramount Skydance went hostile.
• David Ellison's Paramount made a direct appeal to investors, and now he's pitching his own staffers.
• Read Ellison's full memo to Paramount employees.

Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison has now made his pitch to buy Warner Bros. Discovery to that company's board, shareholders, and his own employees.

Ellison pitched Paramount employees about his renewed offer to buy WBD in an email sent just after 3 p.m. ET on Monday.

"We believe the combination of Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery represents a powerful opportunity to strengthen both companies and the entertainment industry as a whole," Ellison wrote in the memo to staffers, which was first obtained by Business Insider.

The Paramount CEO said he believes his all-cash, $30-per-share offer for all of WBD is superior to Netflix's $27.75 offer for WBD's streaming and studio assets, like the Warner Bros. film studio, HBO, and HBO Max.

Paramount made a so-called hostile bid for WBD on Monday morning, hoping to get investors on its side.

Now, Ellison is making sure employees are on board.

Read Ellison's full memo to Paramount employees below:

Dear Team,

This morning, we filed a tender offer — a public offer to purchase shares directly from a company's shareholders — and made an appeal to Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders to acquire WBD for $30 per share in cash.

You can read the details in our press release here, but in short, we believe the combination of Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery represents a powerful opportunity to strengthen both companies and the entertainment industry as a whole. Together, we would form a scaled, forward-looking company positioned to invest confidently in future growth and capitalize on rapidly changing industry dynamics — while better serving creative talent and consumers. A combined company would give us the reach, resources, and creative capacity to tell more exceptional stories and bring them to audiences around the world.

We are taking our offer directly to shareholders because they deserve full transparency and the ability to make an informed choice. Our $30 per share, all cash proposal is superior to Netflix's offer — $27.75 in total, including $23.25 in cash — across every dimension: higher overall value, greater certainty, a clearer regulatory path, and a future that is pro-Hollywood, pro-consumer, and pro-competition.

Our motivation for pursuing Warner Bros. Discovery has been consistent from the start. We love this industry and believe deeply in its future. And we want to help preserve and strengthen one of America's greatest cultural and economic exports: storytelling. By bringing Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery together, we aim to accelerate both creative engines, delivering a greater slate of high-quality films, television, sports, news, and games to global audiences.

Bottom line: this transaction is about doing more, not less — for our company, for the industry, for consumers, for shareholders, and especially for the creative talent who power everything we do. We're energized by the opportunity ahead, and we're confident that once Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders have the chance to decide for themselves, they'll choose Paramount.

As this process moves forward, I pledge to keep you informed whenever there are significant updates. Until then, let's stay focused on our North Star priorities and continue pressing ahead. I remain deeply grateful for your hard work, dedication, and passion.

Let's go!

David

• Netflix made a winning bid for Warner Bros., but Paramount Skydance isn't conceding yet.
• Paramount CEO David Ellison has rapport with Trump, but Netflix executive Ted Sarandos might also.
• Sarandos pitched Netflix as a company that can "create and protect jobs" if it buys Warner Bros.

Before Netflix made its winning bid for Warner Bros., its co-CEO pitched President Donald Trump directly on the merits of the deal.

The pair found common ground, Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos said.

"The president's interests in this are the same as ours, which is to create and protect jobs," Sarandos said of Trump at the UBS media conference on Monday afternoon.

Sarandos said he'd talked to Trump "many times since the election about the different challenges facing the entertainment industry."

"The president cares deeply about the entertainment industry, and he loves the entertainment industry," Sarandos continued.

Trump praised Sarandos on Sunday, calling him a "great person" who he said had done "one of the greatest jobs in the history of movies." Still, Trump said Netflix's "big market share" in the streaming space "could be a problem" as it tries to buy Warner Bros. Discovery's streaming and studio assets.

The Netflix-Warner Bros. deal reached on Friday is worth $82.7 billion, including $72 billion in equity. WBD's TV networks like CNN or HGTV, aren't in the proposal.

Rival suitor Paramount Skydance responded on Monday with a hostile bid in the form of a $30-per-share, all-cash offer for all of WBD, including the declining TV networks. Netflix's offer is $27.75 per share, comprising mostly cash and some stock. There's debate among analysts about whether Netflix's or Paramount's renewed offer is more attractive, as it depends on the value of WBD's TV networks.

Paramount's move "was entirely expected," Sarandos said.

Paramount CEO David Ellison, who seems to be on Trump's good side, went on CNBC on Monday morning to tout his company's public offer as "pro-consumer, pro-creative talent," and "pro-competition." Ellison said his company's offer had "faster regulatory certainty to close" than Netflix's. Ellison's father, Oracle cofounder Larry Ellison, is a longtime Trump ally and one of the richest people on the planet.

However, Netflix also seems to be building rapport with Trump. That could help explain why Netflix's Sarandos and fellow co-CEO Greg Peters are optimistic about their deal.

"We are very confident that regulators should, and will, approve it," Peters said of the WBD deal.

Sarandos pitched the streaming giant's proposed acquisition as a net positive for the labor market, despite the concerns of many in Hollywood. He also said the company is "deeply committed" to releasing movies from Warner Bros. in theaters, "exactly the way they've released those movies today."

That overture could help ease Trump's concerns. Sarandos pitched Netflix as a great job saver.

"What the president has been interested in, in this deal, has been: To what extent does it protect and create jobs in America?" Sarandos said.

• Billy McFarland hosted the PHNX 2025 festival over the weekend.
• McFarland aimed to redeem himself with excursions and a bathroom barge after the failed Fyre Festival.
• Viral food photos and a modest turnout marked the event, but no major disasters occurred.

Billy McFarland is trying to rise from the ashes of Fyre Festival.

His latest event is PHNX — pronounced "Phoenix." It attracted dozens of attendees over the weekend. Like the original Fyre Festival, it was heavily documented by camera crews and social media users.

Since being released from prison in 2022, after pleading guilty to wire fraud charges related to Fyre Festival, McFarland has been planning redemption from the disastrous 2017 festival that left hundreds of attendees stranded, hungry, and thirsty on a Bahamian island and became the subject of a hit Netflix documentary.

On Saturday and Sunday, McFarland ran it back with a smaller crowd, a mix of parties, excursions, and musical guests like French Montana as the headliner on Utila Bay, an island off the coast of Honduras.

General admission tickets to PHNX cost $599. VIP passes went for up to $140,000 and included round-trip flights from Miami. PHNX offered all attendees brunch, lunch, dinner, and a handful of excursions, including scuba diving and a cave hike, in their ticket packages.

The itinerary was a far cry from the events that unfolded in 2017. Where unsanitary or simply unavailable bathrooms became a hallmark of Fyre Festival's failures, McFarland showed off a "bathroom barge" of floating port-a-potties for PHNX. He also shared fresh fruit stands and food options, including lobster, steak, and fresh salads — a much different menu from the infamous cheese sandwiches served at the first Fyre Festival.

Festival-goers, McFarland, and performers took their followers along for the ride at PHNX 2025. The event was also available via livestream for paying viewers.

One performer, a DJ who goes by 220 Kid, documented his time at the festival in several videos. His post about the vegetarian food option went particularly viral. The plate of rice and a single cob of corn drew scrutiny and a call back to the meager cheese sandwiches from 2017.

Rappers Slim Jxmmi and Bobby Shmurda showed up, and a clip from headliner French Montana's set showed a modest crowd dancing.

"We set out to bring 400 people and a dozen artists to a private island in the Utila Bay Islands, and the experience exceeded every expectation," McFarland said in a statement. "PHNX 2025 was a milestone moment for us."

Videos showed dozens of festival-goers on the dance floor at different times. It's unclear how many people attended.

PHNX appeared to sidestep the big issues that defined Fyre, but it's too early to tell whether the event represents a meaningful reset for McFarland.

"This is only the beginning — a major announcement is coming soon," McFarland said.

• The best-selling country artists of all time include Elvis Presley, Tim McGraw, and Shania Twain.
• We used RIAA's data to compile this list based on total album units sold in the US.
• Only three artists on this list debuted in the 2000s: Carrie Underwood, Taylor Swift, and Luke Bryan.

Did you know two of the top three best-selling musicians of all time are country music artists?

Elvis Presley and Garth Brooks trail only the Beatles in record sales.

Country music is one of the most popular genres in music, with its own set of stars, award shows, and hall of fame.

We used the Recording Industry Association of America's (RIAA) list of best-selling artists, ranked by albums sold, to pick out the top 25 most successful country musicians of all time.

To qualify as a country star, a musician's output had to primarily appear on country charts, or the artist had to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, nominated in the country genre at the Grammys, or have received nominations at country award shows like the CMAs or the ACM Awards.

Here's who made the cut, from No. 25 to No. 1.

25. Hank Williams Jr. — 19.5 million units

24. Luke Bryan — 20 million units

23. Brooks & Dunn — 21.5 million units

22. Carrie Underwood — 22.5 million units

21. Jimmy Buffett — 23 million units

19 (tie). Kid Rock — 23.5 million units

19 (tie). Johnny Cash — 23.5 million units

18. Vince Gill — 24 million units

16 (tie). Toby Keith — 25.5 million units

16 (tie). Faith Hill — 25.5 million units

15. Linda Ronstadt — 30 million units

14. Willie Nelson — 31.5 million units

13. The Chicks — 33 million units

12. John Denver — 33.5 million units

11. Kenny Chesney — 37 million units

9 (tie). Tim McGraw — 41 million units

9 (tie). Reba McEntire — 41 million units

8. Alan Jackson — 44.5 million units

7. Kenny Rogers — 47.5 million units

6. Shania Twain — 48 million units

5. Alabama — 49 million units

4. George Strait — 69.5 million units

3. Taylor Swift — 110 million units

2. Elvis Presley — 146.5 million units

1. Garth Brooks — 162 million units

• Paramount Skydance made a hostile bid for Warner Bros. Discovery after Netflix won a bidding war.
• Both companies cited regulatory approval, Hollywood employment, and consumers in their pitches.
• Here's how each media giant is making its case to stakeholders.

Hollywood's latest high-drama battle of the titans: Paramount versus Netflix.

David Ellison's Paramount made a hostile bid for Warner Bros. Discovery after WBD rebuffed its multiple offers and accepted Netflix's offer to buy its studio and streaming business.

This means Ellison, who is backed by his billionaire father, Larry Ellison of Oracle, is making his case directly to shareholders on why he'd be the best owner for WBD.

"We have faster regulatory certainty to close," Ellison said. He called the deal "pro-consumer, pro-creative talent," and "pro-competition."

Netflix didn't respond to the hostile bid but has said that by combining its streaming hits with WBD's classic library and prestige HBO fare, it can supercharge its offering.

"Together, we can give audiences around the world even more value and choice, and get one step closer to being the most loved and the most valued entertainment company," Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos said in announcing the deal Friday.

Here's how the companies made their cases to various stakeholders, which include investors, employees, Hollywood talent, and regulators.

Paramount Skydance says it is offering a higher price and more certainty

Financials: Paramount offered $30 per WBD share for all of WBD, compared to Netflix's offer of $27.75 per WBD share for its streaming and studios business, excluding its TV networks, such as CNN and TNT. While Netflix's offer was a mix of cash and stock, Ellison emphasized that Paramount's offer is all cash, and $17.6 billion more than the Netflix deal, an $82.7 billion offer that includes $72 billion in equity.

Approval: Ellison repeatedly argued that he's more likely to win regulatory approval than Netflix is. He said he anticipated approval coming in as little as 12 months. President Donald Trump said he'll be "involved" in evaluating the deal. Larry Ellison is a longtime ally of Trump, and the firm of Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, is part of the Paramount offer.

Hollywood and consumers: Ellison argued that the Paramount deal would be good for jobs and consumers. He said Paramount is committed to growing the film and TV output of both businesses, including a theatrical slate of 30-plus releases a year. It's a pointed contrast with Netflix, whose preference for getting movies onto its streaming service quickly has created friction with the film industry. (Netflix has said it would continue to release Warner Bros. movies in theaters.) Ellison said adding WBD would make Paramount a robust competitor to Netflix, while Netflix buying WBD would extend its dominance in streaming and give it more power to raise prices to consumers.

Netflix says its offer would be better for consumers and creators

Financials: Netflix said the deal would give it a number of financial benefits. While Netflix is the top subscription streaming service, it has a ways to go in creating culture-defining IP. A big part of Netflix's pitch is that it'll be able to build on WBD's famous franchises like DC Comics and Harry Potter, fueling a flywheel that'll expand its business. WBD would have to pay a $2.8 billion breakup fee if it accepts a different offer, which Netflix said limited its risk. On the other hand, Netflix would have to pay a $5.8 billion breakup fee if the deal were blocked by regulators.

Approval: Wall Street analysts have generally characterized Netflix as having a tougher approval path. However, the company has been making the pitch to Trump and his administration. Trump said Sunday that Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos visited him last week. Trump said Sarandos was a "great person" who has done "one of the greatest jobs in the history of movies." However, Trump added that Netflix has "a very big market share," which "could be a problem." Netflix expressed confidence in the approval process, saying it expects the deal to close in 12 to 18 months, after WBD completes its spinoff of linear channels into a new company, Discovery Global.

Hollywood and consumers: Netflix said the deal would provide better choice and value for consumers by bringing together the Warner Bros. film and TV show libraries with its own offerings, and help the WBD's creators reach a bigger audience. Netflix said many of its subscribers don't subscribe to HBO Max.

With Hollywood employment stagnating, Netflix also argued that the addition of Warner Bros. would let it expand its production and increase jobs over the long term. It expects to achieve $2 billion to $3 billion in cost savings from the deal, primarily coming from eliminating overlapping support staff.

• Reid Hoffman said he once spent a night on Epstein's island in connection with MIT fundraising efforts.
• The LinkedIn cofounder told the Newcomer podcast that he had been told a visit would make Epstein more likely to donate.
• Hoffman has previously apologized publicly for his interactions with Epstein.

LinkedIn cofounder Reid Hoffman said he wishes he'd known a little more before agreeing to spend a night on Jeffrey Epstein's island.

On the Dec. 1 episode of Eric Newcomer's podcast, Hoffman said that he visited the island as part of his fundraising work for the MIT Foundation and was told the visit would make Epstein more likely to donate to MIT.

"Note to self: Google before going," Hoffman said on the podcast. He said he stayed on the island for one night, and that there was a pool, a "bunch of guest rooms," and a courtyard.

Hoffman has maintained that he only interacted with Epstein, whose 2019 death while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges was ruled a suicide, through his work fundraising for the MIT Media Lab. On the "Newcomer" podcast, he called Epstein a "masterful networker," and recalled a 2015 dinner he hosted for an MIT researcher in Palo Alto, California.

Hoffman said that Joi Ito, former director of the MIT Media Lab, asked him if Epstein could attend the dinner, which was also attended by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Tesla CEO Elon Musk. Similar to his visit to the island, Hoffman said he was later told that the financier had said he was more likely to donate if he attended the dinner.

"He's kind of going through the network, trying to meet people and so forth," Hoffman said on the podcast. Hoffman also reiterated previous apologies for his involvement with Epstein.

In 2019, a spokesperson for Zuckerberg confirmed the dinner to Business Insider and said it was the only time the Facebook cofounder met Epstein. A spokesperson for Musk also confirmed the Tesla CEO's attendance.

In a 2019 email to Axios, Hoffman acknowledged multiple interactions with Epstein, which he said were strictly for fundraising purposes, and said he had been told MIT had vetted and approved the convicted sex offender's participation. He said in the email he was "deeply regretful" of the involvement.

"I went and kind of made a, you know, very public apology because it was like, okay I realized this and I'd already at that point had ramped down connection with him, right, to like no meetings and all the rest of the stuff, under any context," Hoffman said on the podcast. "And I think he still would drop me an email every so often and say, 'Hey, can we get on the phone?' I say, 'Oh, maybe sometime,' which is, you know, code for never, right?"

Hoffman said that justice for the late pedophile's victims is important, and urged the government to release, unredacted, "every single piece of intel that they have about Epstein."

In November, President Donald Trump signed a bill that will release the Department of Justice's files on Epstein after months of pressure from Congress, including some fellow Republicans. The department has until Saturday, December 19, to comply with the order.

Trump has also ordered the DOJ to investigate Hoffman, along with other individuals he views as political enemies, including former President Bill Clinton and former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers, over their ties to Epstein.

Hoffman, a billionaire and major Democratic donor, has previously said that he had to hire security after Musk fueled conspiracy theories about his relationship with Epstein.

• Dakota Johnson's style has always been equally chic and bold.
• That's continued this year, as she's worn daring looks on and off the red carpet.
• So far, she's sported see-through ensembles, skin-tight sparkles, and more.

One thing to know about Dakota Johnson is that she's always going to look chic.

Whether she's walking around New York City, attending the Cannes Film Festival, or posing on a red carpet, her fashion always stands out.

That's because it's also often pretty daring. In 2025, she's worn everything from see-through ensembles to skin-tight sparkles.

Here's a look at those outfits and everything else she's worn this year, ranked.

Dakota Johnson played it safe at a Kering event during the Cannes Film Festival in May.

She wore classic black Gucci trousers with sharp pleats, a semi-sheer white blouse, and shiny black loafers from the Italian fashion house.

Though understated, her outfit was expensive. Her shoes cost $1,050, and her pants cost $2,500.

She took the same approach to her fashion for the Women in Entertainment Gala in December.

She wore a chic $2,980 black midi dress from Khaite on the event's red carpet, which highlighted her accessories.

The latter included $1,140 haircalf heels from the clothing brand, a $2,350 Métier bag, $695 Sophie Buhai earrings, and two onyx rings from the same designer, which cost $2,050 each.

Inside the gala, she wore a white trench coat with thick buckles on top.

Her New York City street style in early June was simple.

She wore a sheer Balenciaga bodysuit on one occasion, but covered it with a leather duster jacket.

She also sported black Balenciaga jeans, $990 Khaite wedges, The Row's $2,600 Mira clutch, an assortment of Yvonne Leon diamond jewelry, and $590 sunglasses from Khaite's collaboration with Oliver Peoples.

The actor looked relaxed and casual at one Cannes Film Festival event.

She wore a $5,200 sleeveless black Gucci dress with a deeply scooped neckline and a crystal hook across the back for the May event.

The outfit was pretty plain, but elevated thanks to her $1,120 Gucci heels, diamond stud earrings, and a $12,750 Boucheron ring.

Her shoes stole the show at the Zurich Film Festival in September.

Johnson wore a Ferragamo fit that day to deliver an acting masterclass. It included a $1,750 scarf-embellished top, a miniskirt, and sheer tights.

Her $2,900 boots, though, were the most daring piece of the ensemble. Designed by Yves Saint Laurent, the leather shoes featured 6.1-inch block heels and platforms across the toes.

Johnson added a bold touch to a simple after-party outfit in May.

She arrived at the event in a custom YSL slip dress with an orange floral print. The garment was understated by Johnson's standards, though her jewelry was anything but.

She wore $115,000 Boucheron earrings made from diamonds and white gold. The statement pieces were shaped like leaves.

The "Materialists" star wore a glamorous look with a few sharp elements at the 2025 Karlovy Vary Film Festival.

Her dress, a $2,450 piece from Mugler, was strapless with a plunging V-shaped neckline and a long, ankle-length skirt.

To complement the gown's daring cut, Johnson wore a diamond necklace with an emerald charm from Roberto Coin and a matching emerald ring.

She completed the look for the July event with $795 Gianvito Rossi pumps.

In August, she wore a short, sparkling dress with unique shoes.

Johnson mostly wore gowns throughout 2025, but she made an exception for the "Splitsville" premiere after-party.

That night, she wore a green Gucci minidress covered in sequins, paired with the fashion house's pointed black pumps.

Her accessories were quietly daring at the beginning of June.

While walking around New York City, Johnson was photographed wearing a $98 semi-sheer Commando bodysuit beneath a yellow velvet jacket from Khaite.

She also wore simple blue jeans, $990 Khaite wedges in black, and dark Gucci sunglasses.

The daring aspect came in the form of her jewelry, which retails for a combined total of over $140,000. Johnson wore a $10,430 Ophelia Eve emerald necklace and a $130,200 Sophie Bille Brahe piece.

Johnson strayed from her typical color palette at the Governors Awards.

Instead, she wore a strapless, seafoam gown from Valentino. The floor-length piece was crafted from textured fabric and featured a gathered waistline.

Though its silhouette was straightforward, its color was a bold choice for the actor, which paid off.

She completed the look with jewels from Jessica McCormack.

You couldn't miss her in August when she stepped onto the "Splitsville" red carpet.

She wore a strapless, form-fitting gown from Gucci in a striking silver color.

It contrasted her dark hair and was accessorized to perfection with statement earrings and bangles, all from Roberto Coin.

In August, Johnson mixed vintage flair and modern design at Vogue World.

Her Valentino gown had a halter neckline, a black mesh panel beneath its beaded top, and a floor-length skirt.

The dress was eye-catching and intricate in design.

She experimented with bright colors and dramatic jewels on the Cannes red carpet.

For the "Highest 2 Lowest" premiere, Johnson walked the red carpet in a strapless Gucci gown covered with pink fringe. The vibrant color choice was a departure from her usual neutral fashion.

She also wore massive Boucheron earrings crafted from diamonds, which sparkled in the light.

Johnson made a million-dollar statement at the end of May.

She looked stunning in a strapless maxi gown from Ferragamo, which retails for $1,850, and pumps from the same brand.

The star of the show, however, was her $1.2 million Roberto Coin necklace. The eye-catching piece was crafted from diamonds, sapphires, and white gold, and it matched her $25,000 blue ring.

She wore the pieces shortly after being named the Italian jewelry brand's latest ambassador.

She brought cutouts back at the Red Sea International Film Festival in December.

Alessandra Rich designed her cutout dress with a strapless, plunging V-shaped neckline. It also had two waist cutouts and a daring slit in the middle of its skirt.

Just as bold as the dress was Johnson's selection of jewelry. She wore sparkling rings, earrings, and layered necklaces that covered part of her collarbones and chest.

The "Materialists" star opted for a skin-hugging gown at the Kering Women in Motion dinner.

Gucci custom-made her sleeveless gown, which was semi-sheer and lined with a strapless leotard.

She paired the dress with an updo hairstyle and $56,000 Boucheron hoop earrings.

Her red-carpet gown for the "Saturday Night Live" anniversary special showed even more skin.

Designed by Gucci, the black gown had one long sleeve, an asymmetrical neckline, and fabric hanging down the front and back of her body.

On the sides, though, it was only held together by the brand's signature horsebit hooks. The latter detail revealed her legs and hips as she walked.

Johnson took plunging necklines to another level for an appearance on "The Tonight Show."

Her Ferragamo ensemble included a $1,490 asymmetrical miniskirt and a $2,900 blazer with a curved neckline that dipped beneath her chest.

She completed the look with sheer black tights and the brand's $980 pumps.

The black gown she wore to the New York "Materialists" premiere had a daring structure.

From the front, her halter-neck Gucci gown almost looked conservative. Its silk fabric wrapped around her neck and extended into a loose-fitting top.

From the side, however, you could see the gown's daring backless and sideless cut.

She seemingly wore her version of a "revenge dress" for a New York City outing in June.

After a rumored breakup between Johnson and Chris Martin, the actor was photographed wearing a $775 tulle-wrapped bodysuit and a matching $1,366 sheer skirt from Nensi Dojaka.

The outfit was dramatic, fashionable, and undoubtedly one of her most daring looks of the year.

For another appearance at the Red Sea International Film Festival, the actor wore layers of white lace.

Chloé designed her billowing gown, which had short tiered sleeves, a deep V-neckline, and a floor-length skirt. The latter and the bodice were both see-through.

The outfit was daring, as is Johnson's signature, but it was also feminine and timeless.

One of Johnson's most memorable outfits of the year was worn at the Zurich Film Festival in September.

That outfit, of course, was her blue Gucci ball gown. It featured a lace bodice with long sleeves, a high neckline, and a full tulle skirt.

The dress was as vibrant as it was daring. Johnson wore nothing beneath its see-through top.

Johnson wore one of the most see-through gowns of her career that same month.

She arrived at Kering's Caring for Women dinner wearing a high-neck, long-sleeved dress crafted from sparkling floral lace. The form-fitting Gucci piece sat atop two pieces of black lingerie.

To complete the look, Johnson added emerald earrings that matched the color of her eyes.

• Donald Trump has brought his love of maximalism and gold furnishings to the White House
• He added gold embellishments to the walls and ceiling of the Oval Office and Cabinet Room.
• He has also renovated the Rose Garden and demolished the East Wing to build a ballroom.

The Oval Office is looking a little bit different lately.

Every US president makes new interior design choices upon entering the White House, often reflecting their personal tastes or political views.

In his second nonconsecutive term, President Donald Trump has incorporated his love of maximalism and gold furnishings into the Oval Office.

More White House renovations are in the works. The East Wing was demolished in October to make way for the construction of a $200 million, 90,000-square-foot state ballroom.

Take a look inside Trump's redecorated White House to see the changes he's made since former President Joe Biden left office.

The White House did not respond to a request for comment.

The West Wing Colonnade was unadorned during the Biden years.

President Joe Biden walked through the West Colonnade alongside Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in May 2023.

Trump added a "Presidential Walk of Fame" where Biden was depicted with a photo of an autopen producing his signature.

Trump has criticized Biden's use of an autopen and sought to invalidate Biden's pardons and commutations that were signed with the device.

The Palm Room, which connects the White House Residence to the West Colonnade, was previously furnished with plants, green benches, and a tile floor.

The Palm Room leads out into the Rose Garden.

In September, Trump refinished the room with a new chandelier and a white marble floor.

"New lobby leading to Oval Office — Magnificent marble floor, compliments of President Donald J. Trump!" Trump wrote on Truth Social.

During Biden's time in the White House, the door to the Oval Office was not decorated in any way.

Aside from a presidential seal above the door to the West Wing, the walls were empty.

President Donald Trump added new gold signage outside the Oval Office.

The gold lettering spelling out "The Oval Office" was set in the Shelley Script font. Trump also added a gold decal to the top of the door.

Biden's dark-blue Oval Office rug was originally designed for Bill Clinton.

The rug, which featured the presidential seal in the center, was designed by Kaki Hockersmith, an interior designer based in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Upon returning to the White House, Trump replaced it with a lighter rug used by Ronald Reagan.

The rug's design includes the presidential seal, a sunbeam pattern, and olive branches along the border as a symbol of peace.

Trump also used the rug during his first term.

Biden only had two flags in the Oval Office.

Biden displayed an American flag and a flag with the presidential seal.

Trump added the flags of different branches of the US military.

Trump's Oval Office features the flags of the Army, the Marine Corps, and the Navy.

During Biden's presidency, the Oval Office's ceiling didn't feature any additional embellishments.

The crown molding on the ceiling matched the cream wallpaper.

Trump added gold trim to the crown molding on the ceiling.

The gold embellishments matched the gold curtains, which remained in place from Biden's presidency.

Biden's Oval Office featured a prominent portrait of President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Biden also hung portraits of Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton together to symbolize the benefits of different opinions, as well as portraits of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.

Trump added additional portraits and numerous gold embellishments to the space.

Trump added more portraits with decorative frames to create an Oval Office gallery wall. He also replaced Biden's portrait of FDR with one of George Washington and displayed historic gold urns and baskets from the White House collection on the mantle.

Trump also incorporated smaller gold details, such as coasters, branded with his name.

Trump's love of gold decor is well-known. His Trump Tower penthouse in New York City features numerous gilded ceilings, furniture pieces, and artwork. Trump's Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, also includes a ballroom covered in gold from floor to ceiling.

Before Trump took office for the second time, the presidential seal on the ceiling of the Oval Office was a subtle adornment.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt added the plaster relief of the presidential seal to the Oval Office during a 1934 White House renovation.

Trump added gilded gold detailing to the design, making it more visible.

Both the seal and the stars surrounding it were covered in gold paint.

Biden chose to display President Barack Obama's official White House portrait in the Entrance Hall.

The hyperrealistic portrait, painted by Robert McCurdy, was unveiled at the White House in 2023.

Trump replaced Obama's portrait with a painting of himself.

Artist Marc Lipp painted a rendering of an Associated Press photo that captured Trump raising his fist in the air following an assassination attempt at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

The White House Rose Garden previously featured a grass lawn.

Before it was used for press conferences and events, first lady Ellen Wilson originally designed the outdoor space as a formal flower garden in 1913.

First lady Melania Trump added a limestone border around the lawn in 2020.

Trump decided to pave over the grass in the Rose Garden, turning it into an outdoor terrace rebranded as "The Rose Garden Club."

Trump told Fox News that the grass in the Rose Garden was impractical for large events because it stayed wet when it rained and was too soft for attendees who wore high heels.

"The grass just doesn't work," Trump told Fox News host Laura Ingraham in March.

Workers began transforming the lawn into a patio in June, replacing the grass with concrete and stone tiles. "The Rose Garden Club" was completed in August.

Biden and previous presidents occasionally held large events, such as state dinners, in decorative tents on the White House lawn.

The East Room, the largest state room in the White House, has a seating capacity of 200 people. When Biden hosted Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in 2023, he held the state dinner in a tent outside the White House to accommodate the larger crowd of over 300.

Trump announced plans to build a state ballroom with a capacity of 650 in July and demolished the East Wing for its construction in October.

The 90,000-square-foot ballroom, which the White House called a "much-needed and exquisite addition," will cost approximately $300 million to construct. Trump and other "patriot donors" will foot the bill for the project, the White House said.

During the Biden administration, the Cabinet Room featured minimal artwork and decor.

Located in the West Wing near the Oval Office, the Cabinet Room overlooks the Rose Garden and features a large, oval-shaped mahogany table purchased by President Richard Nixon in 1970, according to Obama's archived White House website.

Seating at the table is assigned in order of when each department was established, with the oldest departments sitting nearest to the president.

Trump added additional paintings to the walls and gold furnishings along the ceiling.

Trump chose portraits of past presidents, including George Washington, John Adams, Andrew Jackson, James Polk, Abraham Lincoln, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Dwight Eisenhower, to decorate the Cabinet Room.

"The vaults are where we have a lot of great pictures and artwork," Trump told reporters in July. "And I picked it all myself, I'm very proud of it."

The Cabinet Room featured eagle-shaped wall sconces during Biden's presidency.

The eagle sconces were installed as part of a 2004 refurbishment of the Cabinet Room that also included a new rug, curtains, and paint color.

Trump added 24-karat gold decals to the walls and installed matching gold curtains.

"Some of the highest quality 24 Karat Gold used in the Oval Office and Cabinet Room of the White House," Trump wrote in a Truth Social post in September. "Foreign Leaders, and everyone else, 'freak out' when they see the quality and beauty."

• After visiting all 50 states as a travel writer, I've chosen 10 as my top winter destinations.
• My go-to states for skiing and snowboarding are Colorado, Vermont, New Mexico, and Wyoming.
• When I'm seeking warm weather, I fly south to Louisiana, South Carolina, and Georgia.

Certain US states come alive more than others in the winter months.

After visiting all 50 of them for both travel writing and personal vacations, I've curated a list of my wintertime favorites, particularly the ones with secluded beaches and breathtaking ski slopes.

Whether you prefer to fly into freezing temperatures or flee to warmth, there's a perfect domestic destination for you.

Drawing on my first-hand experiences, these are the 10 best US states to visit in the winter.

New York is the ultimate destination for holiday tourists.

Although I dread New York City's 4:30 p.m. sunset in January, February, and March, the holiday lights that go up in December offset my seasonal blues.

Manhattan is wonderfully festive during the holidays, and visitors have endless options for activities. 

They can ice-skate beneath the Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center, shop at the Union Square Holiday Market, admire the elaborately decorated shop windows on the Upper East Side, or catch one of The New York City Ballet's annual performances of "The Nutcracker."

I also love to head east to Montauk's empty beaches or north to ski Whiteface Mountain in Lake Placid, home to one of the East Coast's greatest vertical drops. 

Vermont is a winter wonderland with some of the Northeast's most challenging skiing.

Although I appreciate Vermont's bucolic summertime beauty, I think it's at its best when the mountains are white with snow. Winter in Vermont is straight out of a storybook with quaint cabins, charming small towns, and rolling white hills.

The state has some of the largest ski resorts in New England, and I've made seasonal pilgrimages to various mountains including Stowe, Killington, Mount Snow, and Okemo — my personal favorite. 

These mountains are less steep than the Rockies. But in my opinion, if you grow up skiing in the East navigating the mountains' packed ice, you have the opportunity to be far better at the sport than those accustomed to more ideal conditions.

Colorado is a mecca for winter sports, with something to offer every active traveler.

Colorado is a hot spot for skiing out West. It has over 25 ski resorts, and I've caught the first tracks in Vail, Breckenridge, Winter Park, and Aspen Snowmass, my all-time favorite. 

Aspen has a reputation for fostering a "ski-and-be-seen" ethos, but I celebrate its decadence and am partial to the champagne showers at Cloud Nine, the rowdy chalet atop Highlands Mountain. 

During my last stay at Aspen Meadows Resort, I realized that it's possible to just relax in nature there. It felt like a contained oasis of mountain views and aspen trees, even though it's a mere 1.6 miles from the downtown area.

Also in Colorado, Breckenridge's annual Ullr Fest is not to be missed. A celebration of the Norse god of winter, this festival features colorful costumes, shotskis, and Viking hats. When I attended, I was delighted that the enormous bonfire provided warmth even on the coldest winter nights.

Florida is perfect for snowbirds.

I first attended Art Basel in Miami entirely by mistake because of a flight cancellation. The glitzy, over-the-top art fair lived up to the hype, a statement that also summarizes my thoughts about Florida in the wintertime.

It's somewhat of a cliché for northerners to fly south every December, hence their nickname as snowbirds, but there's nothing quite like a polar vortex to make you long for the Sunshine State. 

Speaking of snowbirds, winter is a spectacular time to go birding in Everglades National Park, the seasonal home to many American white pelicans.

Wildlife enthusiasts can watch humpback whales migrate to Hawaii.

Witnessing humpback whales' migration to the Hawaiian Islands is spectacular. 

I first spotted a humpback whale up close on a trip to Maui with my mother when I was 12. When I set out with PacWhale Eco-Adventures decades later, the experience was just as magnificent as I remembered.

Hawaii offers its own unique ambiance during the holiday season. The festive juxtapositions of seashell-adorned garlands and palm trees draped with lights make the state the closest you can get to paradise within the US.

 

Louisiana has mild temperatures and plenty of parties in the wintertime.

Louisiana is one of my favorite states to visit in the US, and it comes alive in the colder months. I prefer the state's relatively mild winters, with temperatures hovering around 60 degrees Fahrenheit, over its sweltering summer days.

I'm also always down for a party. From the Cajun Festival of the Bonfires, when people light bonfires along the levees of the Mississippi River to light the way for Cajun Santa Claus, to Mardi Gras, the biggest celebration of all, there are events for revelers to enjoy all season long. 

The winter sun casts the swamps surrounding New Orleans in a golden light, and even though alligators hibernate, you can still spot them on warm days.

New Mexico is a great spot to take a road trip that extends from the desert to the slopes.

This Southwestern state's diverse climate is perfect for a winter road trip through deserts, valleys, and mountains.

The Enchanted Circle Byway takes travelers through a variety of epic ski destinations, including the popular Taos Ski Valley. Make sure you don't miss the Ski Torchlight Parade, one of the many annual events in New Mexico's ski regions. 

I love the wide-open expanse of Albuquerque, the city with the state's biggest population and most direct flights.

In the wintertime, you can begin your trip in this desert city before heading an hour north to Santa Fe, where you can experience the art scene and hit the slopes.

I prefer to experience true Lowcountry living during South Carolina's winters.

I love visiting South Carolina any time of the year, but my favorite memories in the state have always been in the winter. 

Perhaps it's because I'm unable to withstand Charleston's summer humidity, but regardless, my February trip to the Holy City was exactly what the doctor ordered two months into a New York winter. 

The city is at its most decadent around the holidays, when festive decor adorns the gorgeous cobblestone streets.

Lastly, a recent wintertime trip to Brays Island, with its Spanish moss and dockside sunsets, epitomized the romance and allure of Lowcountry living.

Wyoming is packed with mountainous adventures and stunning views.

Yellowstone National Park may be most crowded and accessible in the summertime, but I prefer to explore the world's first national park in the winter, when I can snowshoe, ride in a snowcoach, or stay at Old Faithful Snow Lodge. 

Seeing Wyoming's desolate landscape covered in snow makes its grandeur and vastness all the more vivid. 

I also make an annual winter voyage out to Jackson Hole to hit the slopes, snowmobile in Grand Teton National Park, cross-country ski at Turpin Meadow Ranch, and go on a sleigh ride in the National Elk Refuge. 

My favorite perk of visiting Wyoming in the winter is that I'm less likely to encounter a grizzly bear. They can still pop up but are mostly hibernating, so we can enjoy the wilderness.

Southern charm is at an all-time high during Georgia's holiday season.

Charleston and New Orleans tend to get all of the attention, but travelers looking to fly south in the winter months often overlook Savannah. 

I've long been enchanted by the city's glamour, mystery, and charm, and, in my experience, the Hostess City of the South is at its most hospitable during the holidays. 

December is a wonderful time for visitors to experience the city by visiting the Savannah Christmas Market and signing up for the annual Holiday Tour of Homes. 

I also stumbled upon another Georgian gem during a previous trip to Aiken. Nestled in horse country very close to the Master's Tournament, this quaint city boasts a downtown area with gorgeous hotels and delectable food. 

This story was originally published on December 1, 2022, and most recently updated on November 26, 2025.

• Paramount owners Larry and David Ellison are making a hostile bid for Warner Bros. Discovery.
• But they're not doing it alone: Three of their partners are oil-rich Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi.
• Those three nations won't have any say over a combined Paramount-WBD, the Ellisons say. So what will they get?

The governments of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi want to invest billions of dollars into a would-be mega media conglomerate made up of Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery.

What would they get for their money?

Spoiler: I don't know. And Paramount, the company that wants to use the three oil nations to help finance its bid for WBD, won't say.

But it sure seems like a question worth asking, as Paramount launches a hostile bid for WBD after losing last week's auction to Netflix.

Paramount says the three petrostates will be part of the new bid — as they were in Paramount's previous offers for WBD (something Paramount had at one point denied).

As of a week ago, those three countries were going to kick in $24 billion — double the $11.8 billion the Ellison family planned to invest in WBD.

Now, Paramount won't say how much the three countries' sovereign wealth funds plan to invest in their newest proposal. It says Larry and David Ellison, who currently own Paramount, along with RedBird Capital, the private equity group, will "backstop" the deal — meaning they promise to finance all of it if necessary.

But Paramount still anticipates those three countries will ultimately invest in a combined Paramount/WBD, along with Jared Kushner — Donald Trump's son-in-law, whose Affinity Partners group invests money on behalf of … Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi, among others.

The difference this time around, Paramount says, is that those countries' sovereign wealth funds won't have any say in how a combined Paramount-WBD would operate. They wouldn't get board seats, voting rights, or any other governance over the company. Paramount declined to comment.

The reason Paramount needs to stress that, apparently, is that Warner Bros. Discovery had previously flagged that as an issue. Now that the oil states won't have any say in how a combined Paramount-WBD would be run, Paramount says the deal wouldn't need approval from the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, a regulatory body that's supposed to sign off on foreign investments in some US companies.

That's all part of Paramount's pitch it is making to Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders: A deal for Paramount to buy WBD will pass regulators much more easily than Netflix buying WBD.

But who knows how that will actually pan out? Up until last week, the conventional wisdom was that Paramount would be the most likely winner for WBD, in no small part because Larry Ellison was a longtime Donald Trump backer, and his son, David, had been trying to curry favor with Trump as well.

Now it turns out that Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos was also wooing Trump. He visited Trump at the White House, and Trump seems to have been taken with him: "He was in the Oval Office last week. I have a lot of respect for him. He is a great person," Trump told reporters Sunday night. "Ted has really done a legendary job."

So in a world where Donald Trump is the most important decision-maker when it comes to what American companies are allowed to do, I don't know if the niceties of CFIUS rules will be the ultimate arbiter. (Here I'll note that last year the US passed a law that required China's ByteDance to divest itself of its ownership in the US. TikTok business or shut down. That hasn't happened, and TikTok is still alive and well in the U.S.)

I also don't know if Trump will particularly care that three Middle Eastern oil states could conceivably own a big chunk of a conglomerate that includes CNN, CBS, HBO, and two movie studios. He has been quite eager to do deals in the Middle East, and last month he rolled out the red carpet for the Saudi crown prince at the White House.

And perhaps that eagerness explains why Paramount didn't think it was a big deal to include petrostate investments in the past — and why it still thinks it's OK to have them now.

But again: If Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi are looking to put anything close to $24 billion into an enormously powerful media conglomerate — one with huge reach in both the US and ambitions for the rest of the world — will they be satisfied with purely financial returns? Or do they expect something else for their money?

I'd love to know. Maybe you would, too.