US President Donald Trump has voiced concerns over Netflix’s planned $72 billion acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery, warning that the massive merger could pose competition challenges.
Speaking at an event in Washington, Trump said Netflix already commands a “very big market share”, and that its dominance “could go up by a lot” if the deal is approved.
Netflix and Warner Bros announced on Friday that they had reached an agreement that would bring major franchises — including Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, The Matrix, Looney Tunes, and The Lord of the Rings — under a single streaming giant. If approved, the deal would be one of the largest in entertainment history.
The merger still requires review by US competition regulators. The Department of Justice could intervene if it believes the combined company would hold an excessive share of the streaming market.
At the event, Trump also disclosed that Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos recently visited the Oval Office, praising him as “a great person” who has done “one of the greatest jobs in the history of movies.”
Industry analysts say the biggest concern for regulators will be the combination of Netflix’s global subscriber base with Warner Bros’ HBO streaming business and massive content library. However, some experts note that Netflix’s power may appear less dominant if competition is measured across all forms of video entertainment, including YouTube, cable TV, and broadcast networks.
Despite expected regulatory scrutiny, several media observers believe the deal will eventually go through, though potentially with concessions.
Meanwhile, the Writers Guild of America has urged authorities to block the merger, arguing that allowing the world’s largest streaming service to absorb one of its biggest rivals would hurt workers, reduce content diversity, and raise consumer prices.
Netflix reportedly outbid rivals including Comcast and Paramount Skydance to secure the agreement. Warner Bros rejected earlier attempts by Paramount Skydance to buy the company outright before deciding to put itself up for sale.
The deal is expected to be finalised after Warner Bros completes a planned business split in the second half of 2026.
