Trump warns Netflix’s $83bn deal for Warner Bros poses competition concerns | Netflix

Donald Trump has warned there could be competition concerns surrounding Netflix’s $83bn (£62bn) deal to buy Warner Brothers’ film studio and streaming networks.

The US president, speaking at an event in Washington DC on Sunday, confirmed that he would be personally involved in the decision whether to approve the buyout.

He said Netflix had a “large market share” and the companies’ combined size “could be a problem.”

Netflix emerged as the winner of the Warner Bros. Discovery auction on Friday, beating Paramount rivals Skydance and Comcast.

The combination of Warner’s HBO Max streaming service and Netflix would allow the company to surpass the 30% market share threshold in the United States. This would give Netflix control of the studio behind franchises such as Harry Potter, Batman and Superman, as well as HBO, which is home to shows such as Game of Thrones, The White Lotus and Succession.

However, Netflix is ​​expected to argue that other streaming services such as YouTube should also be considered in the media landscape.

During an event at At the John F. Kennedy Center in the US capital, Trump said Netflix had a “very large market share” that would “increase significantly” if the deal goes through.

Many industry voices, including Hollywood unions, have advocated for the deal to be blocked.

The merger is expected to be reviewed by the Justice Department, but Trump said Sunday he would be personally involved in the decision.

Trump added that Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos recently visited the Oval Office and praised him for his work at the company.

“I have a lot of respect for him. He’s a great person,” the president said. “He created one of the greatest works in the history of cinema.”

Before the deal, reports suggested that Trump’s preference was for Paramount to win the Warner Brothers buyout because it is backed by Larry Ellison, the billionaire co-founder of technology company Oracle and a Trump supporter. The CEO of Paramount Skydance is David Ellison, his son.

William Kovacic, former chairman of the Federal Trade Competition, the US competition regulator, said the president’s involvement in such a deal would be “unprecedented”.

He told the BBC’s Radio 4 Today programme: “The negotiation of any possible solution will take place through the White House and that means we are likely to have a deep level, an unprecedented level of presidential control in resolving what was once a technical analysis of a merger.”

Blair Westlake, former chairman of Universal Studios Television and Networks, said it’s natural for big media companies to consolidate.

“A lot of people don’t realize that YouTube is the number one place consumers around the world turn to watch content,” he told the Today show. “It’s far beyond anything else.”

The Netflix-Warner merger is not expected to be finalized until the third quarter of 2026 or later, and will be subject to approval by regulatory authorities in the United States and Europe.

Netflix has been contacted for comment.