President Donald Trump told reporters that he'll be part of the proposed $72 billion merger between Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery, acknowledging that there "could be a problem" due to the amount of market share the newly formed company would have, while appearing on the Kennedy Center Awards' red carpet in Washington, D.C., Sunday (December 7) night.

Trump claimed he would consult "some economists" prior to the deal's approval.

"I’ll be involved in that decision, too," he said via NBC News.

The president also acknowledged skepticism of the deal's approval based on market share.

"Well, that’s got to go through a process, and we’ll see what happens," Trump said via NBC news.

"They have a very big market share," he added of Netflix. "When they have Warner Bros., that share goes up a lot."

Netflix announced that they entered a "definitive agreement" to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc., which includes its film and television studios, HBO Max and HBO, on Friday (December 5). The total enterprise value is approximately $82.7 billion, with an equity value of $72 billion and cash and stock valued at $27.75 per share, pending approval as one of the most sweeping and consequential mergers in modern Hollywood's history.

The merger doesn't, however, include Warner-owned channels such as CNN and TNT.

“Our mission has always been to entertain the world,” said Ted Sarandos, co-CEO of Netflix. “By combining Warner Bros.’ incredible library of shows and movies—from timeless classics like Casablanca and Citizen Kane to modern favorites like Harry Potter and Friends—with our culture-defining titles like Stranger Things, KPop Demon Hunters and Squid Game, we'll be able to do that even better. Together, we can give audiences more of what they love and help define the next century of storytelling.”

“Today’s announcement combines two of the greatest storytelling companies in the world to bring to even more people the entertainment they love to watch the most,” said David Zaslav, President and CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery. “For more than a century, Warner Bros. has thrilled audiences, captured the world’s attention, and shaped our culture. By coming together with Netflix, we will ensure people everywhere will continue to enjoy the world’s most resonant stories for generations to come.”

Warner Bros Discovery announced it was up for sale in a news release shared in October. The company said it was undergoing a "review of potential alternatives" and had received "unsolicited interest from multiple parties" for purchase.

Warner Bros Discovery's board of directors said it would evaluate strategic options, "which will include continuing to advance the Company's planned separation to completion by mid-2026, a transaction for the entire company, or separate transactions for its Warner Bros. and/or Discovery Global businesses," according to the news release.

Sunday Nights with Bill Cunningham

Bill Cunningham