CNN Article Mentions That Warner Bros. Discovery Owns a Minority Stake in AEW, Examines Politics in Wrestling

As previously reported, recent filings for the Netflix acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery confirmed that WBD owns a minor stake in AEW of less than 10%. That minority stake was also reported on today in a new article by CNN, reporting on AEW taking on a role in the political debate regarding criticism against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

The report mentions that CNN parent company WBD “owns a minority stake in AEW.” WBD is AEW’s broadcast partner, with flagship program AEW Dynamite airing weekly on TBS, and AEW Collision airing on TNT. AEW programming and pay-per-view events are also simulcast and available to stream on WBD’s HBO Max platform.

The report notes fans were chanting “**** ICE” before Brody King’s matchup against AEW World Champion Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF), which took place on last week’s AEW Dynamite. As noted, fans in Sydney, Australia, also audibly chanted similar remarks before King and MJF’s title rematch at today’s AEW Grand Slam Australia 2026, which will air on WBD’s TNT and HBO Max later tonight. It remains to be seen if the unedited chants will remain in the tape delay broadcast.

The CNN reports that King has been an outspoken critic of ICE, even wearing an “Abolish ICE” shirt in the ring. AEW star and former world champion Hangman Page has also spoken out against ICE, and he also delivered a speech at a wrestling event in Mexico City, reminsicing his work with Mexican farm workers in the U.S., praising their values and work ethic.

Speaking to CNN, theater professor Eero Laine, who studies pro wrestling history at the State University of New York at Buffalo, commented on the political ideologies that sometimes come to a head in pro wrestling. Laine stated, “You can actually watch two ideas fight each other in the ring, and you can cheer and boo for each of them. So there’s a kind of morality play at work in the ring.”

Commenting on the anti-ICE chants that appeared on AEW programming, Laine commented that the chants “are interesting in that they support a political stance associated with one of the wrestlers, but they are not necessarily directly related to what’s happening in the ring. And the chant is not part of the repertoire of standard wrestling chants.”

The article also documents WWE’s history with United States President Donald Trump, with Trump receiving a WWE Hall of Fame induction in 2013. The Khan family, who owns AEW, past support of Trump is also documented. Shahid Khan, the father of AEW founder Tony Khan, previously voiced his support for Trump and donated to Trump’s inauguration in 2017.

However, Shahid Khan did not donate to Trump’s 2025 inauguration and has recently voiced his differences with President Trump on issues such as religion and immigration. CNN also reports that, per public filings, the Khans have donated to both major political parties in the past.

CNN Report Examines AEW & WWE’s Ties To Politics, Mentions WBD Minority Stake in AEW

Laine adds that the strategy with the connection between wrestling and politics can be equated to Eric Bischoff’s catchphrase and book title, “Controversy Creates Cash,” stating, “That’s the bottom line with wrestling, it’s attention. They’re selling attention.”

CNN’s report also mentions WWE Superstar Becky Lynch, who, as many have already noticed, has adopted using very similar language to President Trump with her comments on social media. Fans have viewed her comments as Lynch’s way of riffing on and parodying the president.

Speaking to CNN, Atlanta native and wrestling fan Scott Lange noted that AEW restored his wrestling fandom after tuning out 20 years earlier because he views AEW as allowing the wrestlers to express themselves more freely, noting that the main roster is “politically aware and seems to care about making the country a better place.”

Lange also stated on political speech in wrestling, “I don’t necessarily want didactic political speech out of wrestlers, but I enjoy watching a company where I feel like people’s hearts are in the right place. They’re aware of what’s going on. You can subtly comment on the world and the things that are happening without beating your heads in about it.”

CNN’s report states that representatives for King declined to comment for the article. Meanwhile, representatives for AEW, MJF, and WWE did not respond to requests for comment.