President Donald Trump may have just done what Starfleet couldn’t: rescue Star Trek, Paramount, and CBS from a woke implosion.
As we previously reported, Paramount was rumored to be making a U-turn on its diversity mandates following backlash from fans and mounting financial losses.
With Skydance’s pending takeover of Paramount Global, big changes are officially coming, and Trump is taking a victory lap.
Skydance Confirms End of DEI
Via THR, Skydance Media, led by David Ellison, has confirmed in a letter to the FCC that it will eliminate all Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives at Paramount following the merger. The company explicitly stated it “does not have DEI programs in place today and will not establish such initiatives,” adding it will comply with non-discrimination laws instead.
This follows earlier changes Paramount implemented in February 2025, scaling back DEI programs and altering hiring practices after the Supreme Court’s Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard ruling. Skydance’s letter to the FCC outlines that Paramount will no longer use race, sex, or gender-based hiring quotas and that it has eliminated its Office of Global Inclusion.
Ombudsman at CBS News to Address Bias
As part of its effort to get FCC approval for acquiring CBS’s broadcast licenses, Skydance also promised a “comprehensive review” of CBS News and the creation of an ombudsman position (an independent person or office appointed to investigate and address complaints).
That role will report directly to CBS News’ president and will handle bias complaints.
Thank Trump
The moves appear to line up with Trump’s public criticism of corporate DEI policies and left-wing media bias. In fact, President Trump has said that Skydance agreed to commit $20 million toward public service announcements and advertising in support of causes important to him.
What’s it mean for Star Trek?
The timing couldn’t be better for fans of Star Trek, which many felt had veered too far into divisive messaging under producer Alex Kurtzman.
Rumors have suggested Paramount may cut ties with Kurtzman’s Secret Hideout production company once the Skydance deal closes.
If that happens, the next frontier for Star Trek might finally include good storytelling again, without the woke agenda. Sure, Star Trek tackles current politics and social issues, but things go so bad that the agenda was more important than the story.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds officially wraps its series with a shortened Season 5, which lines up with Kurtzman’s contract ending. The Starfleet Academy series is expected to get two seasons and be done.
