The President of the United States, Donald Trump, recently expressed his concern over Netflix’s planned $72 billion deal to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery’s movie studio, which also includes HBO Max. The President claimed that Netflix already has a “very large market share,” and combining it with HBO may be a problem. The merger has also been of concern to others in the industry, especially competitors.
Donald Trump comments on Netflix and Warner Bros deal
On Sunday, December 7, 2025, US President Donald Trump flagged potential concerns over Netflix’s planned $72 billion deal to buy Warner Bros. Discovery’s movie studios and HBO streaming networks (via BBC). Trump said that, as Netflix already owns a sizable share in the market, its combined size with Warner Bros. “could be a problem.”
This came shortly after the two companies reached an agreement on Friday. The merger would effectively create a new media giant that would tower over every other streaming service or movie studio.
The merger also means that the rights to several renowned franchises, such as Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, Looney Tunes, The Matrix, and The Lord of the Rings, would be acquired by Netflix. The deal can be completed after Warner Bros splits its business in the second half of 2026.
The US Justice Department’s competition division, which oversees major mergers, could rule out the deal if the combined businesses account for too much of the streaming market.
Donald Trump said that he would be personally involved in this decision. However, despite his concerns, the President also spoke out about Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos. He praised the Netflix boss, saying, “I have a lot of respect for him. He’s a great person.” He added, “He’s done one of the greatest jobs in the history of movies.”
Despite President Trump’s comments, significant concerns remain throughout the industry about the $72 billion acquisition.
