RELEASE: Rep. Friedman Statement After Federal Judge Halts Paramount-Warner Bros. Merger
Follows Friedman led call for an independent, thorough review of the deal
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, July 21, 2026, U.S. Congresswoman Laura Friedman (CA-30) releases the following statement after a federal judge’s decision to halt the proposed $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery by Paramount Skydance for two weeks.
On May 7, Friedman led 34 California Members of Congress thanking California Attorney General Rob Bonta for his commitment to a “full and robust review” of the merger and urging him to independently analyze its effects and use his best judgment amid the Trump Administration’s politicization of antitrust enforcement.
“This latest court action reaffirms what I’ve been saying at every step of this deal. We simply cannot trust this Administration to act in the best interests of American workers and consumers. Any merger of this size and scale, with so many local jobs and livelihoods on the line, calls for a rigorous and thorough review. Now, it seems like a judge agrees and wants to give this proposed merger the scrutiny it needs. I’ll continue to follow this case as it makes its way through our legal system,” said Congresswoman Laura Friedman (CA-30).
- On-location production in the greater Los Angeles area declined 13.2% for the July through September 2025 period compared to the year prior.
- More than 42,000 jobs in Los Angeles County’s motion picture industry were lost from 2022 to 2024.
- Paramount is projecting $6 billion in expense cuts over three years if the merger proceeds, with analysts predicting significant job losses.
- Decades of entertainment industry consolidation have already reduced output, raised prices, limited consumer choices, and stifled innovation.
Friedman is Hollywood's representative in Congress and has been among the most active voices calling for careful examination of the merger to defend California's entertainment industry. Friedman is working on a bipartisan national film tax credit to help keep entertainment jobs from leaving for other countries.
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