Netflix’s Ted Sarandos Courted Trump Ahead of Warner Bros. Bid

Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos met with President Donald Trump at the White House in mid-November to discuss several topics, including the upcoming sale of Warner Bros. Discovery, according to a report from Bloomberg. The conversation lasted over an hour, with both sides sharing their views on the media landscape and the auction.

Trump reportedly said Warner Bros. should sell to the highest bidder. Sarandos agreed and used the opportunity to make the case for Netflix’s offer. He argued that Netflix isn’t a monopoly and pointed out that the company had lost subscribers a few years ago.

“Netflix doesn’t have broadcast networks or cable channels,” Sarandos told Trump. “Our competition isn’t only other streaming services. We’re the fifth or sixth biggest TV distributor in the U.S. Buying Warner Bros. would make us about the size of YouTube here.”

After the meeting, Sarandos believed Netflix would face little immediate opposition from the White House. He concluded that Paramount Skydance, a rival bidder, had overestimated its political influence and would likely submit a lower offer, creating an opening for Netflix, according to insiders.

On Friday, Netflix agreed to pay $82.7 billion, including debt, for Warner Bros., one of the largest media deals ever. The acquisition would give Netflix control over HBO and one of Hollywood’s most historic studios. However, challenges remain. Paramount, which triggered the auction, may still launch a hostile bid, and Netflix faces opposition from Hollywood guilds. Warner Bros. also must spin off its struggling cable networks.

Sarandos’ White House visit highlighted the importance of political connections in major media deals. On Dec. 3, just two days before Netflix announced the agreement, Paramount sent a letter to Warner Bros., claiming the sale was “tainted.” The Ellison family, which controls Paramount, could try to influence the White House to block Netflix’s deal.

Despite these obstacles, Netflix emerged ahead of both Paramount and Comcast, strengthening its streaming service that now reaches more than 300 million subscribers worldwide.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!