President Donald Trump said he expects to be involved in the government's review of Netflix's bid to acquire major parts of Warner Bros. Discovery, warning the deal's size could raise market-share concerns.
"I'll be involved in that decision," Trump told reporters on Sunday as he arrived at the Kennedy Center for its annual awards show.
Netflix on Friday agreed to buy Warner's film studios and streaming division for $72 billion, a deal that would hand control of one of Hollywood's most prized assets to the streaming pioneer.
Trump did not say whether he favored approval of the deal, but he pointed to a potential concentration of market power in the entertainment industry.
"That's going to be for some economists to tell. ... But it is a big market share. There's no question it could be a problem," he said.
On Monday, Paramount launched a hostile takeover offer for Warner, initiating a potentially bruising battle with rival bidder Netflix to buy the company behind HBO, CNN, and a famed movie studio along with the power to reshape much of the nation's entertainment landscape.
Emerging just days after top Warner managers agreed to Netflix's $72 billion purchase, the Paramount bid seeks to go over the heads of those leaders by appealing directly to Warner shareholders with more money — $74.4 billion — and a plan to buy all of Warner's business, including the cable part that Netflix does not want.
During a White House briefing on Monday, Trump was asked whether he backs Paramount's takeover bid.
"I don't know enough about it," he said.
"I know the companies very well. I know what they are doing. But I have to see.
"I have to see what percentage of market [share] they have. We have to see the Netflix percentage of market [share], Paramount percentage of market [share]," Trump continued.
"I mean, none of them are particularly great friends of mine. You know, I want to do what's right. It's so very important to do what's right."
The president also expressed concern about how much creative influence Netflix would yield while he praised its CEO, Ted Sarandos, at the Kennedy Center on Sunday.
"I have a lot of respect for him, but it's a lot of market share," Trump said.
"He's a great person. ... He's got a lot of interesting things happening aside from what you're talking about, but it is a big market share.
"There's no question about it. It could be a problem," he said.
Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.