Netflix co-CEO Sarandos is expected to attend meetings at the White House on Thursday (February 26), underscoring the political dimensions surrounding Netflix’s proposed acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, according to Politico, which cited two people familiar with the discussions.
It was not immediately clear whether Sarandos would meet with President Donald Trump, the news outlet said.
Warner Bros. bid and political pressure
Top of the agenda will be Netflix’s bid for Warner Bros. Discovery and Trump’s demand that the company remove board member Susan Rice, a former Biden administration official, outlet cited sources as saying.
Trump earlier wrote on Truth Social that Netflix should fire “racist, Trump Deranged Susan Rice, IMMEDIATELY, or pay the consequences,” amplifying a post from right-wing activist Laura Loomer.
Earlier this month, however, Trump said he would stay out of the Warner Bros. dispute and allow the United States Department of Justice to handle the review, reversing his previous position that he would personally weigh in on the deal.
Competing takeover offers
Netflix has offered $27.75 per share, valuing its bid at $82.7 billion, for Warner Bros. Discovery’s studio and streaming assets.
Meanwhile, rival Paramount Global escalated the battle with a higher $31 per share offer for the entire company.
Paramount has intensified its pursuit of Warner Bros., signaling it is not stepping back from the high-stakes acquisition race. The company’s revised, higher offer is expected to test Netflix’s willingness to increase its bid for the media giant’s valuable assets, including its production studios and premium content library.
Warner Bros. confirmed that discussions are ongoing after Paramount submitted an improved proposal. The company noted that its board has not yet decided whether the updated Paramount bid is superior to the previously announced merger agreement with Netflix.
“The board has not made a determination as to whether the revised Paramount proposal is superior to the merger with Netflix,” Warner Bros. said. It plans more talks with Paramount and said Netflix will have four business days to respond if the board backs the sweetened offer.
Paramount CEO David Ellison appeared at the State of the Union as a guest of Sen. Lindsey Graham, a close Trump ally, Politico said.
Antitrust scrutiny
The proposed Netflix transaction is under review by the DOJ’s Antitrust Division, which is examining both Netflix’s market power and its broader dealmaking strategy.
The competing Paramount bid is also under regulatory scrutiny, as authorities assess potential competition concerns in the media sector.