President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he does not plan to get involved in the battle between Netflix and Paramount Skydance for Warner Bros. Discovery, a statement that counters his comments last year.
“I haven’t been involved,” Trump said. “I’ve decided I shouldn’t be involved. The Justice Department will handle it.”
In December, Trump said he would be involved with the merger decision and that the merging of such large companies “could be a big problem.”
But during his interview with NBC News, Trump said he would leave the matter to career regulators at the Department of Justice.
The DOJ is reviewing whether the proposed deals comply with U.S. antitrust laws. The Federal Trade Commission also holds power in companies’ competition for one of Hollywood’s most storied entertainment empires.
Netflix’s co-CEO Ted Sarandos attended a Senate hearing on Tuesday to make a case for the company’s merger with Warner Bros.
During the hearing, senators grilled Sarandos over concerns about how the merger might affect pricing, content diversity, and market concentration.
The saga began in late 2025 when Netflix agreed to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery’s film studies, television production units, HBO, and HBO Max streaming service in a deal valued at roughly $82.7 billion in enterprise value.
The agreement would fold Warner’s vast content library into the streaming giant’s footprint, creating one of the industry’s most powerful content engines
Days after Netflix’s bid was announced, Paramount Skydance countered with a hostile takeover offer valued at $108 billion, seeking to woo Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders by proposing a full acquisition of the entire company.
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A possible Paramount-Warner Bros. merger would also raise antitrust concerns, but their combined market share wouldn’t be as great as in the deal with Netflix. Paramount+ is the fifth-largest streaming service globally, whereas Netflix tops the streaming market.
The rival bids have drawn scrutiny from antitrust experts and lawmakers, who worry that either death could reduce competition in an entertainment industry already dominated by streaming giants.
