Entertainment has long influenced public opinion in ways that politicians often envy. Percy Bysshe Shelley once described poets as “the world’s unknown senators,” a sentiment that echoes in the 1984 film Amadeus, where Emperor Joseph II appears more focused on managing the Viennese opera than on governing his empire.
With advancements in technology, that cultural influence has grown. Nowadays, many young Americans seem to draw more moral lessons from Netflix than from traditional sources like teachers or parents.
Netflix is now seeking to amplify this influence further by aiming to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery, a media giant that owns HBO, DC Studios, and well-known franchises like “Harry Potter” and “Game of Thrones.” If this merger happens, the combined entity could dominate roughly a third of the streaming market, thereby gaining substantial cultural authority.
It’s clear that Democrats realize politics often mirrors culture. Should Netflix successfully integrate Warner Bros., its perspective would further penetrate the cultural landscape.
Interestingly, this proposed merger has even caught the attention of former President Donald Trump, who hinted last month that it may “be a problem,” indicating that his administration would actively review the deal.
This isn’t just a theoretical concern. It’s crucial to consider how Netflix might wield its existing power.
Take, for example, their recent film Queen of Coal, which tells the story of a trans woman aspiring to work in a coal mine while navigating a town steeped in superstition and patriarchy. It’s compelling, certainly. Or, reflect on their 2020 release “Cuties,” a French film focused on preteens and twerking, which sparked outrage despite the creators’ claims that it criticized the sexualization of children. Netflix’s marketing misstep further exacerbated the backlash by using an inappropriate poster, culminating in a public apology.
Following George Floyd’s death in 2020, Netflix made a bold declaration on its social media by stating, “To be silent is to be complicit. Black lives matter,” and began integrating race-swapped characters into its content.
When examining the broader picture, a report from Concerned Women for America revealed that nearly half of Netflix’s children’s programming promotes LGBT themes.
This trend is unmistakable: Netflix is leveraging its platform to advocate for radical progressive ideals, and increasing scrutiny only reinforces this notion.
Inside the company, the culture reflects this bias as well. By standards typical in the tech industry, Netflix’s political leanings are decidedly to the left. In 2020, a staggering 98% of its political donations went to Democrats, compared to 84% for Apple and 77% for Facebook.
Reed Hastings, Netflix’s co-founder and former CEO, notably donated $7 million, including $2 million to a pro-Kamala Harris super PAC in 2024, and previously criticized fellow billionaire Peter Thiel, suggesting that his support for Trump was a “catastrophically bad decision.”
Hastings seems to hold the view that conservative ideas aren’t merely debatable; they disqualify anyone who takes them seriously.
And then there’s the revolving door between Netflix and Democratic leaders.
In 2018, Netflix struck a multi-million deal with former President Barack Obama, leading to a series of progressive documentaries and an apocalyptic thriller featuring controversial lines about trust and race.
Susan Rice, who was the U.N. Ambassador under Obama, also joined Netflix’s board after her time in office and has since returned after heading Biden’s Domestic Policy Council.
There’s a growing awareness among Democrats that politics derives from culture. If Netflix merges with Warner Bros., its influences could reshape the cultural landscape even more.
Trump’s warnings indicate he understands the stakes involved. He asserted that the $82.7 billion deal necessitates strict antitrust scrutiny.
Representative Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) has pointed out that the combined companies might exceed the 30% market share generally flagged as problematic under antitrust regulations.
But Trump’s concerns run deeper than that. As someone with experience in entertainment, he recognizes the crucial role that art plays in society, which is evident in his pragmatic efforts to reform the Kennedy Center and his initiative to commission classical sculptures for a national garden. It’s also reflected in his appointments of figures like Jon Voight and Mel Gibson as cultural ambassadors.
These actions highlight his belief that he can’t let Netflix establish a progressive media monopoly that could inflict more lasting damage than a single political cycle.
