Trump Signals Regulatory Hurdles for Netflix’s $83 Billion Warner Bros. Bid

Dec 2025 : US President Donald Trump on Sunday weighed in on Netflix’s ambitious move to acquire Hollywood giant Warner Bros., warning that the streaming powerhouse already commands a “very large market share” and that the proposed deal “could be a problem” for regulators.

Speaking to reporters as he arrived at the Kennedy Center Honors awards ceremony, Trump said he would be personally involved in the decision-making process surrounding the nearly $83 billion acquisition, which is currently under scrutiny from federal antitrust authorities. The proposed deal has triggered widespread debate in Washington and raised unease across Hollywood’s creative community.

Despite his caution, Trump heaped praise on Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos, who recently paid a visit to the White House. “He’s done one of the greatest jobs in the history of movies,” Trump said, lauding Sarandos for transforming Netflix into a dominant global entertainment force.

If approved in its present form, the acquisition would see Netflix absorb Warner Bros. studios along with rival streaming platform HBO Max. Warner Bros. is one of Hollywood’s most storied production houses, known for timeless classics such as Casablanca and Citizen Kane, as well as modern blockbusters like Barbie.

The deal would also hand Netflix access to one of the richest content libraries in the world. This includes globally popular franchises such as Harry Potter, The Lord of the Rings, and the DC Studios superhero universe featuring icons like Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman. Such a library would significantly strengthen Netflix’s dominance in the global streaming war.

However, the deal would not include traditional television assets such as Discovery and CNN, which are set to be spun off from Warner Bros. Discovery ahead of the sale.

Warner Bros. Discovery formally put itself on the market in October after receiving multiple unsolicited bids, ultimately outpacing interest from cable operator Comcast and media group Paramount Skydance. Notably, Paramount’s chief executive David Ellison is a prominent supporter of Trump, adding a political dimension to the evolving media battle.

With regulators closely watching the transaction, Trump’s remarks signal that the Netflix-Warner Bros. deal could face a challenging road ahead.

Team Maverick.

(The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)