Electronic Arts
US Senators Call for Investigation Into Saudi-Backed EA Buyout
US senators demand federal review of EA’s $55B Saudi-led buyout over data and national security concerns.
Highlights
- Senators Richard Blumenthal and Elizabeth Warren have urged a federal probe into the $55 billion acquisition of Electronic Arts by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), Silver Lake, and Jared Kushner’s Affinity Partners.
- The senators asked the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) to investigate concerns over national security, user data access, and potential Saudi political influence through gaming content and AI oversight.
- The letter alleges the deal could give Saudi Arabia majority control over EA, allowing “unchecked influence” across U.S. game design and data infrastructure.
The $55 billion deal to take Electronic Arts private has drawn intense scrutiny in Washington after two U.S. senators called for a federal review of its potential foreign influence risks. Senators Richard Blumenthal (Connecticut) and Elizabeth Warren (Massachusetts) sent a formal letter to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who chairs CFIUS, pressing the interagency committee to “apply searching scrutiny” to what they describe as a “foreign privatization of one of America’s largest technology and entertainment firms.” The lawmakers expressed alarm at Saudi Arabia’s growing investments in U.S. digital companies, citing its Public Investment Fund’s reputation as a geopolitical influence tool.
The United States Government Has Data Security Concerns
The letter singled out Jared Kushner’s involvement as a critical concern, calling his firm’s participation “troubling” given prior financial ties between Affinity Partners and the Saudi PIF. According to Blumenthal and Warren, the buyout may function as a “safe harbor” for Saudi financial control, leveraging Kushner’s proximity to President Trump’s administration to ensure regulatory support. They warned that the deal’s structure “bets $1 billion that Mr. Kushner can deliver federal approval,” referencing a reported breakup fee EA would receive if the deal fails to pass review.
The lawmakers’ letter also outlined fears surrounding EA’s vast troves of player data, which include financial information and online behavioral metrics from hundreds of millions of users. They argued that PIF control could allow Saudi interests to influence AI systems, design decisions, and in-game narratives reaching global audiences. Given EA’s role in shaping virtual interaction spaces like The Sims and Battlefield, the senators labeled the deal “a direct vector for foreign influence.”
CFIUS is now expected to review the acquisition, though analysts say meaningful intervention is unlikely given political realities. Blumenthal and Warren’s appeal marks one of the most forceful congressional challenges to Saudi investment in American gaming to date, underscoring wider concerns about foreign control in U.S. creative and technology sectors.
Author
Abhimannu Das is a web journalist at Outlook India with a focus on Indian pop culture, gaming, and esports. He has over 10 years of journalistic experience and over 3,500 articles that include industry deep dives, interviews, and SEO content. He has worked on a myriad of games and their ecosystems, including Valorant, Overwatch, and Apex Legends.
Abhimannu Das is a web journalist at Outlook India with a focus on Indian pop culture, gaming, and esports. He has over 10 years of journalistic experience and over 3,500 articles that include industry deep dives, interviews, and SEO content. He has worked on a myriad of games and their ecosystems, including Valorant, Overwatch, and Apex Legends.
