Elizabeth Warren called out by Washington Post for blaming Trump over 'Monday Night Football' blackout
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., was called out by The Washington Post on Thursday for trying to blame President Donald Trump for the "Monday Night Football" blackout on YouTube TV.
"You might not be able to watch ‘Monday Night Football’ tonight. Why? When companies get too big, they have the power to cut off your favorite channels. That's what's happening here. And what's Trump done about it? He's let them get away with it," Warren wrote on X on Monday.
Disney programming — including ESPN, ABC and FX channels — were pulled from Google’s YouTube TV platform at the end of October after the companies failed to reach new contract terms.
The Washington Post editorial board pushed back on Warren's argument and wrote, "That is not, in fact, what’s happening here." The editorial was headlined, "Elizabeth Warren knows better."
YouTube TV said in a post on X on Oct. 30 that, despite its "best efforts," it was not able to reach a fair deal with Disney by Thursday's deadline, meaning customers would no longer be able to access Disney-owned channels and content, including college and pro sports.
One of the issues at the center of the dispute was the fees Disney sought from YouTube TV to carry its channels.
"This is not an area that would be improved by the involvement of the government. Yet Warren complained on social media that President Donald Trump has 'let them get away with it,'" the Post editors wrote. "Get away with what? YouTube TV is trying to keep costs down for its customers, while Disney is trying to get the most value for its products. Buyers want prices to be lower, and sellers want prices to be higher. Such is life."
The Washington Post argued that Warren was effectively taking Disney's side in the fight and added, "Why should the president or a senator weigh in on Disney’s side, which is the side of higher prices for consumers? It certainly doesn’t make life more affordable for anyone, except maybe Disney investors."
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The editorial board concluded that Disney and Google could resolve the matter without government interference.
"Warren, a former Harvard Law School professor who made big money consulting for corporations before she refashioned herself as a pitchfork populist, knows all this. Maybe she just thinks her supporters are not as smart as her," the paper wrote.
A Disney spokesperson laid blame on YouTube TV, telling FOX Business that "YouTube TV has chosen to deny their subscribers the content they value most by refusing to pay fair rates for our channels, including ESPN and ABC."
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Disney said its lineup includes "live sports — anchored by the NFL, NBA, and college football."
The company said Google was using its market dominance to stifle competition and "undercut the industry-standard terms we’ve successfully negotiated with every other distributor."
YouTube said it continues to urge Disney "constructively to reach a fair agreement" that would restore Disney networks on YouTube TV and noted that if the dispute drags on, it will offer subscribers a $20 credit.
Fox News' Danielle Genovese contributed to this report.
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