President Trump Says He Will Decide the Netflix – Warner Bros. Deal

Tuesday, 09 December 2025 at 08:41

The media world is still buzzing. Last Friday, the news dropped: Netflix wants to buy the studio and streaming parts of Warner Bros.1 Discovery. That includes HBO Max. It’s an $83 billion deal. It’s massive.

The whole thing will take over a year to finish, as it needs government approval. Now, US President Donald Trump is stepping in.

Speaking on Sunday before the Kennedy Center Honors event in Washington, DC, the President made a surprising statement, saying that he would be personally “involved in the decision.”

Why Is Trump Stepping In?

The reason is simple: market share.

Netflix is huge. It is the world’s biggest streaming service.4 Right now, Netflix has about 22% of the US streaming market. HBO Max is not far behind, with about 14%.

If they combine? The new company would be a giant. President Trump noted that this is “a lot of market share.” He added that the deal “could be a problem.”

This massive size is why the deal will face intense antitrust review. The Department of Justice (DOJ) will look closely at this. Lawmakers and industry groups are already fighting the merger.6 They worry the huge size will kill competition. They fear it will raise prices for viewers. Some people think the combined company will control over 7$35\%$ of all streaming hours watched in the US, which crosses a legal red flag.

Meetings and Money

President Trump confirmed he recently met with Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos at the White House.9 He called Sarandos a “fantastic man.” But the President gave no promises about the deal.

The stakes are incredibly high for Netflix. They agreed to pay Warner Bros.11 a huge $5.8 billion breakup fee if the government blocks the deal.12 That is one of the largest breakup fees ever. That big fee shows Netflix knows the regulatory risk is huge.

A New Problem: A Hostile Bid

Just days after Netflix announced its deal, a rival jumped in. Paramount Skydance launched a hostile takeover bid for all of Warner Bros. Discovery. Paramount is now trying to convince shareholders that their bid offers better value and has fewer antitrust problems.

This counter-offer and the President's personal involvement create major uncertainty. It ensures this huge media merger will be a political and legal battle watched by everyone.

The deal’s fate now sits not just with regulators, but right inside the White House.

Key Points

Presidential Involvement: US President Donald Trump stated he would be personally "involved in the decision" regarding Netflix's planned $83 billion acquisition of Warner Bros.
Antitrust Concern: Trump raised antitrust concerns, noting that the combined company's "very big market share" in streaming "could be a problem" for competition.
Market Dominance: Netflix currently holds about 22% of the US streaming market share, and combining with HBO Max (14% share) would create a dominant market force.
Regulatory Hurdles: The merger faces intense scrutiny from the Justice Department and is complicated by a hostile takeover bid from Paramount Skydance.
High Stakes: Netflix agreed to pay a massive $5.8 billion breakup fee if the deal is blocked by regulators, signaling high confidence and high risk.