A high-stakes battle over the future of Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) has drawn in a growing circle of political operatives tied to President Donald Trump, underscoring how Washington influence is shaping one of the media industry’s biggest takeover fights, The Wall Street Journal reported Sunday.
Netflix (NFLX) is pursuing a multibillion-dollar deal to acquire Warner’s studios and HBO Max streaming business, while Paramount (PSKY) is seeking to buy the entire company outright. As the rival bids have intensified, former and current Trump advisers have lined up on opposing sides.
Netflix (NFLX) has recently enlisted several Republican strategists with deep ties to President Donald Trump to shape its regulatory and political approach, the Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter.
Those advising the streaming company include Kellyanne Conway, Trump’s former White House senior counselor and 2016 campaign manager, as well as veteran GOP operatives who previously served in the Trump administration. Netflix (NFLX) has also brought on former White House aides May Mailman and Clete Willems, now its chief global affairs officer, as it prepares for antitrust scrutiny in Washington.
The company is also working with influential lobbyists led by Brian Ballard, a longtime Republican power broker with close connections across the media industry and to senior Trump officials, including Attorney General Pam Bondi. Netflix (NFLX) has been expanding its government affairs and policy team in anticipation of a lengthy regulatory review overseen by the Justice Department.
Paramount (PSKY), meanwhile, has assembled its own roster of Trump-aligned advisers as it advances an all-cash bid valued at roughly $78 billion. That group includes Jason Miller, a longtime Trump campaign aide providing communications support, and Makan Delrahim, the former head of the Justice Department’s antitrust division under Trump, now serving as Paramount’s (PSKY) chief legal officer. Allies of Paramount (PSKY) have publicly questioned whether Netflix’s bid for Warner’s assets would raise competitive concerns.
Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) has also sought guidance from veteran Republican consultants, including Trump campaign strategist Chris LaCivita and pollster Tony Fabrizio, as it navigates competing takeover offers and heightened political scrutiny.
The growing involvement of Trump-connected figures on all sides underscores how the outcome may depend as much on regulatory and political maneuvering as on financial terms, reflecting the increasingly politicized environment surrounding media consolidation and antitrust enforcement.