Fox Corp.\u2019s $22-billion acquisition of San Jos\u00e9-based Roku, operator of streaming services and seller of hardware devices, seemed like a straightforward deal when it was announced in June: A growing media company was looking to bolster its presence in the fast-growing streaming industry.<\/p>\n
But, on Wednesday, the Trump administration weighed in.<\/p>\n
Fox Corp. and Roku said that the companies received requests from the Justice Department on Tuesday for additional information in connection with its review of the merger. <\/p>\n
While Fox and Roku downplayed the requests, saying that they had expected the outreach, the timing of the move raised eyebrows among some analysts, who said it could signal further scrutiny of the transaction by the Justice Department.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe president has been outspoken on the fact that he will take retaliatory action against networks that say things that he doesn\u2019t agree with, or they do things that he doesn\u2019t agree with,\u201d said Rob Enderle, principal analyst at advisory services firm Enderle Group. <\/p>\n
The action follows President Trump\u2019s surprise over Fox\u2019s ouster of anchor Maria Bartiromo. She was pushed out after she had shared internal company texts<\/a> with the White House, which sources told The Times may have been the breaking point.<\/p>\n Trump said on social media that he couldn\u2019t believe that Bartiromo will no longer have her shows on Fox. \u201cHer fans, of which there are many, will not be happy,\u201d he wrote on Truth Social on Sept. 3. <\/p>\n Associate Atty. Gen. Stanley Woodward said the Justice Department could not comment on pending matters but said in a statement: \u201cWe can affirm that this DOJ under President Trump\u2019s leadership will continue to prioritize affordability for all Americans across our economy.\u201d<\/p>\n