Netflix CEO Faces Senate Hearing Over Proposed Warner Bros. Merger

Lawmakers question Sarandos on content, consumer value, and antitrust concerns

Feb. 4, 2026 at 9:47am

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Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee's antitrust subcommittee to answer questions about the company's proposed $83 billion merger with Warner Bros. Discovery. Lawmakers asked Sarandos about the merged company's plans for content, pricing, and the potential impact on competition. The merger, which includes the Warner Bros. studio, HBO, and HBO Max, is not yet finalized and must pass federal scrutiny.

Why it matters

The proposed Netflix-Warner Bros. merger would create a media giant with significant control over both content production and distribution. Lawmakers are concerned about the potential antitrust implications, including reduced competition, higher consumer prices, and less diverse content. The hearing is part of the government's review process to determine if the merger should be approved.

The details

During the hearing, Sarandos faced questions from lawmakers about Netflix's plans for the merged company, including content, pricing, and consumer value. Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, expressed concerns that the merger would lead to "one platform to rule them all" and significant market dominance. Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., questioned Sarandos about a prior meeting with President Trump, which Sarandos said was to discuss general industry issues, not the merger specifically. Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., pressed Sarandos on Netflix's children's content, accusing it of promoting a "transgender ideology," which Sarandos denied.

  • The $83 million merger was proposed in October 2025 after Warner Bros. received unsolicited offers.
  • On Dec. 5, 2025, Warner Bros. said it would accept Netflix's offer after a bidding war with Paramount.
  • On Dec. 22, 2025, Paramount launched a hostile bid to buy Warner Bros. Discovery.
  • On Jan. 20, 2026, Netflix changed its offer to all cash to be more attractive to shareholders.
  • The Senate Judiciary Committee hearing took place on Feb. 4, 2026.

The players

Ted Sarandos

Co-CEO of Netflix who testified at the Senate hearing.

Warner Bros. Discovery

The media conglomerate that includes the Warner Bros. studio, HBO, and HBO Max, which is the target of Netflix's proposed merger.

Mike Lee

Republican senator from Utah who expressed concerns about the merger's potential antitrust implications.

Cory Booker

Democratic senator from New Jersey who questioned Sarandos about a prior meeting with President Trump.

Josh Hawley

Republican senator from Missouri who pressed Sarandos on Netflix's children's content.

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What they’re saying

“All told, one might say that Netflix seeks to become the one platform to rule them all, or at least to exercise a significant amount of market dominance. The merger raises numerous antitrust concerns, in a nutshell, consolidating both production and distribution power.”

— Mike Lee, Senator, R-Utah (UPI)

“Why is it that so much of Netflix content for children promotes a transgender ideology?”

— Josh Hawley, Senator, R-Missouri (UPI)

“We have millions of hours of children's programming ... we feature a wide variety of stories and programs to meet a wide variety of people's taste.”

— Ted Sarandos, Co-CEO, Netflix (UPI)

What’s next

The proposed Netflix-Warner Bros. merger must still be approved by Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders and pass federal antitrust review by the Department of Justice.

The takeaway

The Senate hearing highlighted significant antitrust concerns around the Netflix-Warner Bros. merger, which would create a media behemoth with substantial control over content production and distribution. Lawmakers will closely scrutinize the deal to ensure it does not lead to higher consumer prices, reduced competition, and less diversity in programming.