U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed his concern over Netflix-Warner Bros.' new merger deal.
As reported by Reuters, Trump confirmed he would be involved in the decision about whether the US federal government should approve the takeover.
“I’ll be involved in that decision,” Trump announced on Sunday, December 7, 2025, at the Kennedy Center for its annual awards show.
He said that he would review the process of Netflix’s proposal of a $72 billion acquisition of the Warner Brothers deal.
The deal was disclosed as Netflix agreed to buy Warner Bros Discovery’s TV, film studio, and HBO Max streaming division for $72 billion on Friday December 5, 2025—a deal that would hand control of one of Hollywood’s most prized assets to the streaming pioneer.
Launched in 1997 as a postal DVD rental business, Netflix has grown to become the world's largest subscription streaming service. The deal, the biggest the film industry has seen in a long time, would cement its number one position.
At an event at the John F. Kennedy Center in the US capital, Trump said that Netflix has a "very big market share," which would "go up by a lot" if the deal goes ahead.
“Netflix is a great company. They’ve done a phenomenal job. Ted is a fantastic man. I have a lot of respect for him, but it’s a lot of market share, so we’ll have to see what happens," said Trump.
Trump has not yet expressed whether he favored approval for the deal, but he pointed to a potential concentration of market power in the entertainment industry.
When asked about the deal, Trump responded, "That's going to be for some economists to tell... but it is a big market share. There's no question it could be a problem."
The Writers Guild of America’s East and West branches called for the merger to be blocked, saying, “The world’s largest streaming company swallowing one of its biggest competitors is what antitrust laws were designed to prevent.”
They believe the outcome of the merger would eliminate jobs, push down wages, and worsen conditions for all entertainment workers.
Additionally, they assumed the merger will “raise more prices for consumers and reduce the volume and diversity of content for all viewers.”
Blair Westlake, a media executive and former chair of Universal Studios' television and networks group, said he thought that the deal would eventually be approved, but "there will probably be concessions that have to be made."
Meanwhile, Bill Kovacic, former chair of the US competition watchdog of the Federal Trade Commission, said that Trump's comments meant negotiations over any problems surrounding the deal were "going to run through the White House,"reports BBC.
The deal would put two of the world’s biggest streaming services under the same ownership and join Warner’s television and motion picture division, including DC Studios, with Netflix’s vast library and its production arm.
Netflix said it will pay 27.75 dollars (£20.79) per share to investors in the Warner Bros Discovery business.
If approved, the deal would close after Warner Bros. Discovery completes a proposed spin-off of its cable channels, which include CNN, TBS and TNT Sports in the UK.
