Trump Warns Netflix Warner Bros Deal May Harm Streaming Market

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly expressed concern about Netflix’s proposed acquisition of Warner Bros., warning that the deal could concentrate too much market power in streaming.

The transaction in question would see Netflix take control of the studio assets of Warner Bros., including its flagship streaming service HBO Max, in a deal valued around US $72 billion to $83 billion.

Key Highlights

• Donald Trump warns Netflix’s $83 billion Warner Bros. bid may create excessive market dominance in streaming.
• Trump plans personal involvement in regulatory review, signalling strict antitrust scrutiny for the proposed acquisition.
• Rival bidders like Paramount and Comcast argue the Warner Bros. sale process unfairly favours Netflix’s offer.

In comments made ahead of a major awards event, Trump acknowledged Netflix’s success and complimented its co-CEO Ted Sarandos, who had recently visited the White House. However, he emphasised that Netflix already holds a significant share of the streaming market, and adding Warner Bros. would make that share “go up a lot” — a development he suggested could be problematic.

Trump also declared that he intends to be personally involved in the regulatory review of the acquisition, hinting that the White House and other government agencies may carefully scrutinise the deal from an antitrust perspective.

Also Read: Netflix's 72B USD Buyout of Warner Bros Signals Streaming Power Shift

The concern centres on possible reduced competition: a merged Netflix-Warner entity might surpass the 30% threshold of U.S. streaming market share, raising fears about dominant pricing power, fewer choices for consumers, and diminished content diversity.

Behind the scenes, rival bidders including Paramount Global (and its affiliate Skydance) and Comcast Corporation were competing to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery. Paramount has voiced concerns that the sale process was biased in Netflix’s favour.

The acquisition still awaits regulatory approval in the U.S. and abroad, and the involvement of the former president and antitrust authorities adds another layer of complexity and uncertainty to the path ahead.