At the Kennedy Center Awards red carpet in Washington, D.C., former President Donald Trump weighed in on the blockbuster Netflix-Warner Bros. merger, warning that the deal could be a problem and saying he would be involved in the approval process.
Netflix has agreed to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery’s film studio, HBO, and the streaming service HBO Max. The deal is valued at roughly $72 billion, with debt bringing the total price north of $82 billion. CNN and TNT are not part of the arrangement.
Trump said he had met with Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos, calling him ‘fantastic,’ and noted that an Oval Office meeting with Sarandos occurred last week. He added that, if he were president during the transaction, he would consult economists and participate in the decision-making process before the merger is completed.
On the merits, Trump argued that combining Netflix’s market power with Warner Bros. Discovery’s studio assets would create a company with a very large market share, potentially drawing antitrust scrutiny from U.S. regulators and competition authorities abroad. He signaled that he would monitor the deal closely and would seek input from economists before deciding on next steps.
Regulators would likely be watching closely in both the United States and Europe. In the U.S., the Department of Justice would review the merger for antitrust concerns, and the European Commission could also be involved; the FCC was not expected to play a role. Trump indicated that the government should weigh potential effects on content access, pricing, and competition across streaming platforms as part of a thorough assessment.
While presidents have historically limited direct intervention in antitrust approvals, Trump’s remarks imply a more hands-on posture, at least in the early stage of the process. Supporters of the deal argue it could spur investment and accelerate content development, while critics warn it could limit consumer choice and strengthen a few dominant platforms.
The Kennedy Center appearance provided a platform for Trump to frame the issue outside of a courtroom or boardroom setting, signaling that the merger would be part of the broader political debate on competition, media ownership, and the evolving landscape of streaming and film distribution.
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