Trump administration views Netflix-Warner Bros. deal with ‘skepticism’

The Trump administration reportedly has some reservations about the proposed $72 billion deal Netflix for acquisition Warner Bros.’s film and television studios and streaming platform. Discovery, HBO Max.

A senior Trump administration official reportedly told CNBC that inside the White House, the deal, which is subject to regulatory approval, was viewed “with extreme skepticism.”

The outlet did not provide any further details about the president’s objection Donald Trump He has not commented on it yet.

Paramount Skydance has also reportedly made several bids to acquire Warner Bros. Studios. Discovery as a whole, rather than a portion of the company’s assets. According to CNBC. The outlet noted that Paramount’s final offer priced the shares at $30 per share.

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The Trump administration is said to be skeptical about the deal between Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images; Mike Blake/Reuters; Mario Tama/Getty Images/Fox News)

a report Try Paramount Skydance The purchase of Warner Bros. Discovery amid speculation about whether Trump’s ties to Larry Ellison, the father of Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison, would play a role in the Netflix deal.

The Wall Street Journal It was reported on Thursday that Paramount said in a letter to Warner Bros.’s lawyers that Discovery said the Netflix deal “will likely never close” due to regulatory challenges in the US and abroad.

David Ellison has reportedly met with officials from the Trump administration and other lawmakers in an attempt to make his case against Warner Bros. Discovery, which has a deal with Netflix, according to New York Post.

While Trump has not publicly addressed the deal, he has made statements against another major merger before taking office for his first term.

In October 2016, Trump publicly opposed their proposed merger AT&T and Time Warner. The presidential candidate said at the time that there was “a great concentration of power in the hands of a very few.” He referred to the merger as “an example of the power structure I’m fighting against.”

Netflix and Warner Bros. logos (Dado Rovik/Illustration/Reuters/Reuters)

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Senator Elizabeth WarrenD-Mass., opposed the proposed deal between Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery, saying it “sounds like an antitrust nightmare.”

“A Netflix-Warner Bros. partnership would create a massive media giant that controls nearly half of all content Streaming market. “It could force you to higher prices, fewer choices about what you watch and how you watch, and it could put American workers at risk,” Warren wrote on X.

Warren criticized Trump, saying that under his leadership, the nation’s antitrust review process “has become a cesspool of political favoritism and corruption.” It then called on the Justice Department to enforce antitrust laws “fairly and transparently” and not “use the review of the Warner Bros. deal to invite influence peddling and bribery.”

the Writers Guild of America (WGA), a union that represents writers in motion pictures, television, radio and more, issued a scathing statement against the proposed deal, saying “this merger should be blocked.”

“The world’s largest streaming company swallowing up one of its largest competitors is what antitrust laws are designed to prevent. The result will be job cuts, lower wages, worsen conditions for all entertainment workers, raise prices for consumers, and reduce the volume and diversity of content for all viewers,” the WGA statement said.

Under the agreement, Netflix will add franchises, shows and movies such as The Big Bang Theory, The Sopranos, Game of Thrones, The Wizard of Oz and DC Universe to its extensive library.

Netflix’s “Squid Game” shows how important international markets are to the streaming giant. (Youngkyu Park/Netflix/Fox News)

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“By combining Warner Bros. “We have an incredible library of shows and movies — from timeless classics like ‘Casablanca’ and ‘Citizen Kane’ to modern favorites like ‘Harry Potter’ and ‘Friends’ — and with our culture-defining titles like ‘Stranger Things,’ ‘KPop Demon Hunters,’ and ‘Squid Game,’ we’ll be able to do that even better,” said Ted Sarandos, Netflix co-CEO. statement About the proposed transaction.

Netflix co-CEO Greg Peters said the deal will improve the streaming platform’s offerings “for decades to come.”

“Warner Bros. has helped define entertainment for more than a century, and continues to do so through exceptional creative executives and production capabilities. With our global reach and proven business model, we can deliver a broader audience to the worlds they create – giving our members more choices, attracting more fans to our best-in-class streaming service, strengthening the entire entertainment industry and creating greater value for shareholders,” said Peters.

“It’s a huge success,” said David Zaslav, CEO and CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery, said the ad “brings together two of the world’s greatest storytelling companies to bring more people the entertainment they love most.”

Rupert Grint, Emma Watson and Daniel Radcliffe on the set of “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” in London in 2003. (Murray Close/Getty Images)

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Netflix said in a statement that the deal will give customers more choice and greater value, provide opportunities for the creative community, lead to a stronger entertainment industry and produce greater shareholder value. The boards of directors of both Netflix and Warner Bros. have approved the deal. Discovery is unanimous on the deal.

The deal is expected to close after Warner Bros. Discovery is separating its streaming, studios and global network divisions into two separate publicly traded companies. This is now expected to be completed in the back half of 2026.

FOX Business has reached out to the White House, Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount Skydance for comment.

Fox News Digital’s Daniella Genovese contributed to this report.