Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren warned that Fox’s proposed $22 billion acquisition of Roku could reduce competition and urged the Justice Department not to give the deal a political “rubber stamp.” Since that warning, federal regulators have increased their scrutiny of the transaction.
The Justice Department has requested additional information and documents from Fox and Roku as part of its antitrust review, extending its examination of the proposed acquisition.
The Massachusetts Senator opened by addressing Roku users and identifying Fox as the company seeking to acquire the streaming platform. She said the deal would combine two major free, ad-supported streaming services and give Fox greater access to American households.
“If Fox and Roku merge, it would give Fox the ability to steer content right into your TV,” Warren said. She argued the acquisition could ultimately leave consumers with fewer choices and higher prices.
Warren then turned to the Justice Department’s handling of the proposed acquisition, warning against approving it through “political favoritism rather than on the law and the facts.”
She pointed to the Justice Department’s handling of Paramount’s proposed acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, a separate transaction that has faced an antitrust challenge from a coalition of states.
Warren closed by returning to the potential effect on Roku users. “Your prices could go up and your choices could disappear,” she said.
The Fox-Roku deal has since received additional federal scrutiny. On Sept. 8, the Justice Department issued Fox and Roku a “second request,” requiring the companies to provide additional information and documents for its antitrust review.
The request extends the regulatory waiting period and gives DOJ more time to examine the transaction. It does not mean the department has concluded the acquisition violates antitrust law. Fox and Roku have said they will continue cooperating with the review and still expect the transaction to close in the first half of 2027.
Warren’s Fox-Roku Warning Draws Pushback
Some users questioned whether Warren’s objections were driven by concerns about Fox rather than competition. “Why do you want to silence conservative voices?” one person asked, while another wrote, “Why don’t you like free markets?”
Others accused Warren of applying a partisan standard to media consolidation, with one commenter arguing she would respond differently if another major media company were pursuing the acquisition.
The Fox-Roku acquisition remains under federal review, with the Justice Department’s “second request” extending the regulatory waiting period.
Fox and Roku still expect the transaction to close in the first half of 2027, subject to regulatory review and other closing conditions.
