Ted Cruz Uses Billie Eilish's 'Stolen Land' Grammys Speech to Grill Netflix CEO Over $57B Warner Merger at Senate Hearing

The intersection of celebrity activism and corporate consolidation reached boiling point on Capitol Hill this week as US Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) utilised Billie Eilish's viral Grammy acceptance speech to launch a scathing attack on the 'corrupt' nature of the entertainment industry. During a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Tuesday, 3 February 2026, Cruz grilled Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos, suggesting that the silence of major studios regarding political 'virtue signalling' is proof of a monopolistic cultural alignment.

The hearing, primarily focused on the antitrust implications of Netflix's proposed $72 billion (£57 billion) acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery's studio assets, quickly pivoted into a referendum on Hollywood's social influence. Cruz's line of questioning followed Eilish's 'Song of the Year' win on 1 February, where she declared that 'no one is illegal on stolen land' and donned an 'ICE Out' pin in protest of US immigration enforcement, as reported by The Standard.

The 'Stolen Land' Litmus Test

In a confrontational exchange, Senator Cruz invoked Eilish's remarks to challenge Sarandos on whether Netflix—as a future owner of the historic Warner Bros. lot in Burbank—officially recognises its own property as 'stolen'. Cruz argued that if executives do not object to such statements from their top-tier talent, they are effectively conceding the illegitimacy of their own corporate assets to maintain 'woke' social standing.

'Are we right now sitting on stolen land?' Cruz asked Sarandos, referencing the Los Angeles basin traditionally inhabited by the Tongva tribe. The Senator argued that the entertainment industry's refusal to challenge 'radical' rhetoric is part of a broader 'corruption' where corporate behemoths trade cultural compliance for regulatory leniency, as cited by Forbes Breaking News.

Antitrust Under the 'Woke' Lens

While the 'stolen land' debate provided the fireworks, the underlying legal battle concerns Netflix's attempt to absorb its closest rival, HBO Max. The deal, which was announced in December 2025, has faced a deluge of consumer class-action lawsuits arguing it would 'reduce competition' and lead to inevitable subscription price hikes.

Critics like Cruz contend that a Netflix-Warner merger would create a cultural 'monolith' where only specific political viewpoints are promoted. This sentiment was echoed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and Senator Mike Lee (R-UT), who both mocked Eilish's comments as 'hypocritical' given her multi-million-pound property holdings in California, according to Fox News. Cruz's strategy appears to be linking these cultural frustrations to the legal argument that the merger is 'bad for democracy,' as reported by The Guardian.

The Industry Silence

Despite the political firestorm, executives from Netflix and Warner Bros have remained conspicuously silent on Eilish's remarks. For Sarandos and Warner Bros Discovery CEO David Zaslav, the priority remains the approval of their 'Full Stack' streaming merger, which would grant Netflix control over the Harry Potter, DC Comics, and Game of Thrones franchises.

Industry analysts suggest that the 'no objection' policy to celebrity outbursts is a calculated move to avoid alienating the creative talent required to keep the streaming giant afloat. However, as noted by Times of India, this silence has opened a flank for conservative lawmakers to paint the industry as 'detached from normal Americans.'

With a hostile $108 billion bid from Paramount-Skydance still on the table, the Netflix-Warner deal is far from certain. As the Senate hearing continues through the week, the 'Eilish Factor' has ensured that the debate over Hollywood's future will be as much about the 'stolen land' of its speeches as it is about the billions on its balance sheets.