Wednesday, February 4, 2026

Lawmakers Grill Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos

Netflix Co-CEO Ted Sarandos

Netflix Co-CEO Ted Sarandos defended his recent meeting with President Donald Trump during a Senate antitrust hearing on Tuesday, while expressing strong confidence that the Department of Justice (DOJ) will evaluate Netflix's proposed $83 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery's key assets— including Warner Bros. studio, HBO, and HBO Max—strictly "on the merits" without political interference.

The hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy, and Consumer Rights, saw bipartisan scrutiny of the massive deal announced late last year. Lawmakers from both parties raised alarms about Netflix's growing dominance in streaming, potential impacts on subscription prices, competition, Hollywood jobs, theatrical releases, and content diversity.]

Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), the subcommittee's ranking Democrat, directly pressed Sarandos on his November 24 meeting with Trump at the White House, occurring just weeks before the deal's public reveal. Trump had previously stated he would be "involved" in the regulatory review, citing Netflix's substantial market share post-acquisition.

Sarandos described the meeting as focused primarily on broader entertainment industry issues, such as protecting American jobs, production incentives, tariffs, runaway production abroad, and economic factors affecting Hollywood. 
When asked if Trump's involvement in the DOJ process was appropriate, Sarandos maintained his belief in an impartial review. "I have confidence in this case on the merits, and that it will be run by the Department of Justice," he replied.

Some conservative lawmakers shifted focus to cultural critiques, accusing Netflix of promoting "woke" content or ideological bias—claims Sarandos rejected, stating Netflix has "no political agenda of any kind."
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