US President Donald Trump has made two significant purchases in bonds from Netflix and Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) - both entities involved in a proposed $82.7 billion merger that has garnered intense scrutiny from regulators and politicians alike.
According to Trump's latest financial disclosure report, released on Friday, he bought at least $1 million worth of WBD bonds, with each purchase amounting to $502,000. This comes just days after the news broke that Netflix had agreed to buy WBD in a deal that will see it expand its market share significantly.
Trump's involvement in the merger process has raised eyebrows, given his previous statements indicating that he would be "involved" in the decision-making process. In an interview at the Kennedy Center on December 7, Trump acknowledged that the proposed merger would enhance Warner Bros' market share and expressed his support for it.
The news comes as a new hostile takeover bid has emerged from Paramount Skydance, which is backed by billionaire tech mogul Larry Ellison and his son David Ellison. This development adds another layer of complexity to the ongoing debate surrounding the WBD-Netflix merger.
Critics of the deal have pointed out that it would result in significant job losses, reduced wages, and decreased content diversity for entertainment workers. The Writers Guild of America has specifically warned of these consequences, sparking concerns about the impact on consumers as well.
The White House has yet to comment on Trump's bond purchases, with an administration official stating that his portfolio is independently managed by third-party financial institutions. However, this does little to alleviate concerns about potential conflicts of interest or undue influence in the merger process.
According to Trump's latest financial disclosure report, released on Friday, he bought at least $1 million worth of WBD bonds, with each purchase amounting to $502,000. This comes just days after the news broke that Netflix had agreed to buy WBD in a deal that will see it expand its market share significantly.
Trump's involvement in the merger process has raised eyebrows, given his previous statements indicating that he would be "involved" in the decision-making process. In an interview at the Kennedy Center on December 7, Trump acknowledged that the proposed merger would enhance Warner Bros' market share and expressed his support for it.
The news comes as a new hostile takeover bid has emerged from Paramount Skydance, which is backed by billionaire tech mogul Larry Ellison and his son David Ellison. This development adds another layer of complexity to the ongoing debate surrounding the WBD-Netflix merger.
Critics of the deal have pointed out that it would result in significant job losses, reduced wages, and decreased content diversity for entertainment workers. The Writers Guild of America has specifically warned of these consequences, sparking concerns about the impact on consumers as well.
The White House has yet to comment on Trump's bond purchases, with an administration official stating that his portfolio is independently managed by third-party financial institutions. However, this does little to alleviate concerns about potential conflicts of interest or undue influence in the merger process.
And I mean, I kinda agree with his views on this merger thingy... it does seem like it could boost Warner Bros' market share and stuff. BUT... 
at the same time, I also think about how much Trump has been saying he's gonna be super involved in the decision-making process... that's a total red flag if you ask me. Or is it? 
... anywayz, hope these financial disclosures keep gettin more transparent, so we know whats goin down behind the scenes 
. This WBD-Netflix deal is crazy and I'm not sure what's gonna happen with it, but it feels like we're right back where we were a few years ago, trying to figure out how all this consolidation is affecting the industry 
.
The Writers Guild of America is worried about job losses and decreased content diversity... I feel ya, guys. We've been here before.