President Trump says Netflix-Warner Bros. deal 'could be a problem' [View all]

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: USA Today

Dec. 7, 2025, 8:41 p.m. ET


President Donald Trump weighed in on Netflix's proposed $72 billion deal to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery, saying he would be involved in the review and that the combined entity's market share "could be a problem."

On Dec. 7, Trump told reporters as he arrived at the Kennedy Center Honors in Washington, D.C., that he had met with Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos. The president did not say whether he favored approval for the deal, but praised Sarandos and noted that Netflix has a "very big market share."

"And when they have Warner Brothers... that share goes up a lot," Trump said. "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."

Netflix announced on Dec. 5 that it agreed to buy Warner Bros. Discovery's TV and film studios and streaming division for $72 billion, a deal that would give the streaming pioneer control of one of Hollywood's most prized and oldest assets. The agreement follows a weekslong bidding war in which Netflix seized the lead with an almost $28-a-share offer that eclipsed Paramount Skydance's nearly $24 bid for the whole of Warner Bros. Discovery, including the cable TV assets slated for a spinoff.

Read more: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/12/07/donald-trump-netflix-warner-bros-deal-review/87662481007/

---

This is a "pick your poison" scenario because no matter which bidder won, ownership would still consolidate media assets, as the other bidders already had "broadcast" and "streaming" services in their portfolios, and all owned film/TV studios, with many decades' worth of programs (radio/film/television) in their catalogs.

Netflix didn't come into this "opportunity" as a "legacy broadcast media" entity (i.e., OTA and/or cable and/or satellite). I know many remember the days of Netflix being a "mail-order DVD rental" company (like Comcast started as a small cable-wiring company with limited program offerings and services, and now owns NBC and Universal Studios).

Netflix managed to gain a lot of their recent $$$ (and accolades) by creating their own "studios" and production (like Amazon).