Following the news that Netflix is planning to acquire Warner Bros. for $82.7 billion USD (around $115.4 billion CAD), President Trump has weighed in on whether the deal could obtain regulatory approval. While speaking to the press, Trump said that the acquisition “could be a problem.”
“Well, that’s got to go through a process, and we’ll see what happens,” Trump told the press, as reported by Bloomberg. While speaking about Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos, the president notes that he “Is a fantastic man, I have a lot of respect for him, but it is a big market share. It could be a problem.”
It’s also been reported that Sarandos previously met with Trump prior to the news of the acquisition. In November, Sarandos met with Trump at the White House to make his case that Netflix’s purchase of Warner Bros. would not create a monopoly in the streaming space. It’s claimed that during the conversation, Trump said that Warner Bros. Discovery should sell to the highest bidder. Sarandos apparently left the conversation feeling optomistic and that Netflix wouldn’t face regulatory challenges while completing the deal.
Netflix revealed its plan to purchase Warner Bros. Discovery’s studio and streaming businesses, with Discovery Global to be spun off into a new publicly traded company. If the deal is indeed approved, marquee IPs like Game of Thrones, Harry Potter, Batman, The Sopranos, and The Big Bang Theory will soon fall under Netflix’s umbrella. Channels such as Discovery, CNN, and TNT will not be a part of the acquisition and will be sold off by Q3 2026.
Although Netflix has been headstrong in announcing its plans to acquire Warner Bros., it’s been reported that Paramount is also aggressively throwing its hat into the ring. Previously, the company first expressed interest in purchasing Warner Bros. before a whiff of a sale was even in the air. Now, Axios reports that Paramount could make an all-cash bid of $30 a share, higher than the agreed-upon cash and stock transaction of $27.75 that Netflix has made. This deal may “appeal directly” to Warner Bros. stakeholders.
Want to see more of our stories on Google?
P.S. Want to keep this site truly independent? Support us by buying us a beer, treating us to a coffee, or shopping through Amazon here. Links in this post are affiliate links, so we earn a tiny commission at no charge to you. Thanks for supporting independent Canadian media!
It will not be a problem when Netflix gift the draft dodger a golden toilet.
When money changes hands it won't be a problem anymore.
Remember, the art of the deal. 🤢 RIP middle class America