Paramount Skydance Hires Former Trump White House Lawyer as Head of Global Public Policy

Rene Augustine, a former attorney in Trump's White House and one-time deputy in the Justice Department's Antitrust Division, joins Paramount Skydance as SVP of global public policy.

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

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Paramount Skydance has named Rene Augustine, a former attorney in President Trump's White House and one-time deputy in the Justice Department's Antitrust Division, as its new senior vice president of global public policy. Augustine will be responsible for developing strategic policies and building key diplomatic relationships to advance Paramount Skydance's business objectives globally.

Why it matters

Paramount Skydance's hiring of Augustine, who has extensive experience in government and regulatory roles, signals the company's focus on navigating the complex policy and diplomatic landscape as it continues its pursuit of a hostile takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery.

The details

Augustine will join Paramount Skydance on February 17 and will be based in the company's Washington, D.C. office, regularly interacting with teams in Los Angeles, New York, and around the world. In her new role, she will be responsible for developing strategic policies 'that advance our business objectives and building key diplomatic relationships that are important for advancing those objectives globally.' Augustine previously served as Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice from 2019 to 2021, where she oversaw the Division's International Antitrust and its Competition, Policy and Advocacy Sections.

  • Augustine will join Paramount Skydance on February 17, 2026.
  • Augustine served as Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice from 2019 to 2021.

The players

Rene Augustine

A former attorney in President Trump's White House and one-time deputy in the Justice Department's Antitrust Division, who is joining Paramount Skydance as senior VP of global public policy.

Makan Delrahim

The chief legal officer at Paramount, who previously worked with Augustine at the Department of Justice and is now overseeing her appointment at Paramount Skydance.

David Ellison

The founder of Paramount Skydance, which is currently pursuing a hostile takeover bid for Warner Bros. Discovery.

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What they’re saying

“I've had the distinct pleasure of working with Rene at the Department of Justice, at the Senate and at the White House and know she is uniquely qualified and experienced to represent Paramount across a variety of policy, regulatory and diplomatic matters.”

— Makan Delrahim, Chief Legal Officer, Paramount (Variety)

What’s next

Augustine will be based in Paramount Skydance's Washington, D.C. office and will 'regularly interact with teams in Los Angeles, New York and around the world' as she develops strategic policies and builds key diplomatic relationships to advance the company's business objectives.

The takeaway

Paramount Skydance's hiring of a former Trump White House lawyer with extensive government and regulatory experience signals the company's focus on navigating the complex policy landscape as it continues its pursuit of a hostile takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery.