MAGA influencer Benny Johnson baselessly claimed that former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama are “trying to take over all of media” amid Netflix’s plan to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery.
Netflix announced an $82.7 billion deal to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery, including its streaming service HBO Max, on Friday. However, the deal is not final, and some critics have highlighted antitrust concerns, according to Reuters.
“This acquisition brings together two pioneering entertainment businesses, combining Netflix’s innovation, global reach and best-in-class streaming service with Warner Bros.’ century-long legacy of world-class storytelling,” Netflix said in a statement announcing the deal.
Johnson, who has a combined 10 million followers across X and YouTube, slammed the deal during an appearance on Fox Business with anchor David Asman.
Johnson pointed to the Obamas’ production deal with Netflix, which was announced in 2018, and accused them of making “woke documentaries.” He also noted that Susan Rice, who served as national security adviser and ambassador to the United Nations under the Obama administration, is on Netflix’s board of directors.
“So this is just simply the Obamas trying to take over all of media, it should be stopped cold by antitrust at the DOJ,” Johnson said.
In a follow-up post on X, Johnson doubled down on the claim, writing that the Obamas, Rice and “DNC mega-donors” would “gain control over” classic Warner Bros. franchises, including Batman and Harry Potter.
The Obamas’ production company, Higher Ground Productions, has partnered with Netflix on more than a dozen projects since 2018, many of which have been critically acclaimed, according to the streaming service’s website.
Their films include Fatherhood (2021), a drama starring Kevin Hart, and Leave the World Behind (2023), an apocalyptic thriller starring Julia Roberts. The company has also produced several documentaries, including the NBA docuseries “Starting 5,” which saw its second season premiere in October.
The Independent has contacted the Obama Foundation and Netflix for comment.
