Trump says Netflix’s $83bn deal for Warner Bros 'could be a problem'

US President Donald Trump has signalled that Netflix’s proposed $83bn (£62bn) takeover of Warner Bros Discovery could face stiff scrutiny on competition grounds, saying the scale of the combined business “could be a problem”.

Speaking to reporters on the red carpet at the Kennedy Centre Honours in Washington DC on Sunday, Trump confirmed he intends to take a direct role in determining whether the federal government should approve the deal. “There’s no question about it,” he said when asked whether the merger might raise concerns, adding that he would be personally involved in the review.

Netflix emerged as the frontrunner on Friday after beating bids from Paramount–Skydance and Comcast in the high-profile auction for the century-old studio. If cleared, the acquisition would unite Netflix’s streaming platform with Warner’s HBO Max, pushing the combined company above a 30% share of the US streaming market, a threshold that typically draws closer regulatory attention.

The takeover would also hand Netflix control of some of Hollywood’s most valuable franchises, including Harry Potter, Batman and Superman, alongside HBO’s slate of premium dramas such as Game of Thrones, The White Lotus and Succession.

Trump noted that Netflix co-chief executive Ted Sarandos had recently visited the Oval Office, offering warm words about his leadership of the company. However, the president’s comments suggest that despite the cordial exchange, the administration may place the deal under a rigorous antitrust review.

Regulators are expected to assess whether the merger would give Netflix excessive dominance in both content ownership and streaming distribution at a time when US authorities have taken a more assertive stance on Big Tech consolidation.