Trump Sounds Alarm on Netflix’s Shocking Merger: “I’ll Be Involved”

President Donald J. Trump is raising serious antitrust concerns over Netflix’s blockbuster $82.7 billion bid to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery, telling reporters Sunday night that he plans to get directly involved in the decision. The proposed merger, which would give Netflix control of both Warner Bros. studios and HBO Max, is already shaking up Hollywood, Wall Street, and Washington.

“It’s got to go through a process, and we’ll see what happens,” Trump said while entering the Kennedy Center Honors in D.C. “Netflix is a terrific company, and Ted Sarandos has done a phenomenal job—but this is a lot of market share. I’ll be involved in that decision.”

Netflix stunned the media world on Friday when it announced a cash-and-stock deal offering $27.75 per share to buy out Warner Bros. Discovery. The deal would merge two entertainment titans and instantly give Netflix control over approximately 43% of the global streaming market. That figure alone has triggered panic in political circles, especially among Republicans wary of Big Tech overreach.

Less than 24 hours after Trump’s remarks, Paramount CEO David Ellison launched a surprise hostile takeover bid of his own—offering Warner Bros. shareholders $30 per share in an all-cash proposal. Ellison slammed the Netflix deal as “anti-competitive” and argued that Paramount’s offer would face far fewer regulatory hurdles. “We’re taking our offer directly to shareholders to maximize their value,” he said in a statement, adding that the deal would “enhance competition and strengthen creative freedom.”

Trump’s comments have ignited a firestorm in Congress. Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah), chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, quickly announced plans for hearings into the Netflix proposal. “This deal sets off every antitrust alarm bell,” Lee posted on X. “Netflix doesn’t need more power—it needs more competition.” Other Republicans, including Senator Josh Hawley (R-Missouri), echoed the concern, calling the merger “a Silicon Valley power grab that threatens American workers and consumer choice.”

The backlash hasn’t been limited to the right. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts) called the Netflix-Warner Bros. merger an “anti-monopoly nightmare” and accused the Trump administration of allowing political favoritism to infect the antitrust process. “This could raise prices, kill jobs, and reduce content variety,” Warren posted, demanding that the Department of Justice block the deal.

The Writers Guild of America (WGA) also issued a furious statement opposing the merger. “The world’s largest streaming company swallowing one of its top competitors is exactly what antitrust laws were written to prevent,” the union said. “It would eliminate jobs, reduce wages, and hurt creative workers across the industry.”

Netflix, for its part, defended the deal, claiming it would benefit customers by offering more choices and content, create new opportunities for the entertainment industry, and increase value for shareholders. If approved, the deal would add a vast content library to Netflix’s portfolio, including Game of Thrones, The Sopranos, The Big Bang Theory, the DC Comics Universe, The Wizard of Oz, and more.

Still, experts warn that the regulatory battles ahead could be brutal. A senior White House official confirmed that the Trump administration’s antitrust team is already reviewing the merger. “President Trump wants strong competition, not consolidation that hurts the American people,” the source said.

Back in front of cameras Sunday night, Trump made it clear that this merger won’t get a free pass. “We’re not going to let giant corporations just take over an entire industry without looking at what it means for workers, consumers, and the country,” he said.

With Senate hearings imminent, rival bids in motion, and a president promising to personally intervene, the fight over the future of streaming is just getting started. And in Trump’s America, deals of this scale don’t get rubber-stamped—they get challenged.

Sources: Fox News Digital, White House Pool Report, Senate Judiciary Committee, WGA Statement, Paramount Press Release, X.com