The proposed acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery by Paramount Skydance will not receive special or fast-track approval, according to the US Department of Justice.
Officials made it clear that the review process will follow normal procedures, despite speculation about political influence.
Omeed Assefi, the acting head of the DOJ's antitrust division, said the idea that the deal could get easier treatment is not true.
"Absolutely not," he said when asked if political ties would speed up the review.
According to Reuters, he also pushed back against claims that enforcement decisions are influenced by politics, calling such suggestions "ludicrous."
The DOJ is responsible for checking if large business deals harm competition. In this case, regulators will carefully study whether the merger could limit choices for consumers or give too much power to one company in the entertainment industry.
The deal has drawn attention partly because of connections linked to Paramount.
The company's leadership has ties to well-known business figures, including those with political relationships. Some analysts believed this might help the deal move faster.
However, Assefi stressed that all companies are treated the same under the law.
Exclusive: Paramount Skydance's proposed acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery will ‘absolutely not’ have a fast track to approval because of political factors, the head of the US Department of Justice's antitrust division told Reuters in an interview https://t.co/h4MZsp6fJj
— Reuters Business (@ReutersBiz) March 19, 2026
Rob Bonta Confirms Paramount Probe
He pointed to past reviews as proof. Assefi noted that Ted Sarandos had previously described the DOJ's process as open and fair.
Netflix had also explored a competing bid for Warner Bros. assets but chose not to continue during the review period.
Regulators are not only looking at this deal. Assefi said the DOJ plans to remain aggressive in reviewing mergers and business practices, US News reported.
He shared that enforcement actions have increased in recent years, including a sharp rise in prison time for antitrust crimes in 2025. This signals that the government is taking competition rules seriously.
Meanwhile, the proposed merger is also being reviewed at the state level. Rob Bonta confirmed that California authorities are conducting their own investigation into the transaction.
Market reaction to the news was modest. Shares of Warner Bros. Discovery dropped about 1%, while Paramount saw a decline of around 2.5% following the update.
Originally published on vcpost.com
