Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos meets with White House officials as Warner deal dispute continues

Netflix’s Ted Sarandos Visits White House Amid Warner Bros. Discovery Deal Talks

Ted Sarandos, co-CEO of Netflix, made a trip to the White House on Thursday, but his agenda did not include a meeting with President Trump. The visit comes as Netflix seeks approval from the Trump administration for its proposed acquisition of HBO and Warner Bros. Discovery, the parent company of CNN.

Netflix’s attempt to purchase HBO and the Warner Bros. film studio faces new challenges after Paramount launched a hostile takeover bid for all of Warner Bros. Discovery.

President Trump has previously expressed support for Paramount. Just last weekend, he publicly urged Netflix to remove board member Susan Rice, a former advisor to President Obama, warning of potential consequences if they did not comply—raising concerns that he may intervene in the ongoing corporate negotiations.

Some industry experts anticipate that the Department of Justice under Trump may file a lawsuit to prevent Netflix from completing the Warner deal, potentially resulting in lengthy legal battles.

After Politico reported on Sarandos’ White House visit Wednesday afternoon, speculation grew about whether he would meet directly with the president.

The White House clarified on Thursday that Sarandos was not scheduled to meet President Trump.

“Netflix is meeting with staff members at the White House,” a White House official told CNN.

According to a Netflix spokesperson, the company’s leadership did not request a meeting with Trump. The meeting with White House staff had been arranged two and a half weeks earlier.

This timing is notable, as the competition for Warner Bros. Discovery has intensified in recent days.

With Netflix’s approval, Warner Bros. Discovery recently reopened negotiations with Paramount. On Tuesday, the Warner Bros. Discovery board announced that Paramount had increased its offer to $31 per share.

Paramount also enhanced its proposal by including a $7 billion regulatory termination fee, signaling confidence that the Trump administration would not block the deal.

Paramount CEO David Ellison has taken steps to build a strong relationship with President Trump, including a private meeting at the White House earlier this month, as previously reported by CNN.

Shortly after meeting with Ellison, Trump told an interviewer that he was not involved in the Warner Bros. Discovery negotiations, despite earlier comments indicating he would play a role in the decision regarding Netflix’s deal.

Trump has also stated that it is essential for CNN to be sold. However, the current agreement with Netflix does not include the sale of CNN; instead, CNN would be spun off into a new company along with other Warner Bros. Discovery cable networks.

Sarandos has made several visits to the White House in recent months, though not always to meet with the president directly.

President Trump has described Sarandos as a “great person,” but has also criticized Netflix on Truth Social.

Responses from Netflix and Sarandos

Sarandos, for his part, has acknowledged Trump’s interest in the entertainment sector and has downplayed any criticism.

When asked by the BBC about Trump’s remarks regarding Susan Rice, Sarandos responded, “This is a business transaction, not a political one. The deal is being reviewed by the U.S. Department of Justice and regulators in Europe and worldwide.”

Reporting contributed by Alejandra Jaramillo.