In a stunning reversal just hours before the Super Bowl, former President Donald Trump has dramatically stepped back from the Justice Department's explosive antitrust review of Netflix's $83 billion bid to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery. During a pre-recorded NBC News interview with anchor Tom Llamas—airing in the coveted pre-game slot—Trump confessed to being lobbied by 'both sides' of the mega-deal before declaring he 'shouldn't be involved.'
'I haven't been involved,' Trump insisted to Llamas, directly contradicting his December vow to personally intervene. 'I've decided I shouldn't be involved. The Justice Department will handle it.' This abrupt pivot leaves the fate of the streaming industry's biggest-ever merger solely in the hands of federal antitrust enforcers, sparking immediate speculation about backroom pressure and legal landmines.
The interview, part of a pre-Super Bowl tradition dating to President George W. Bush, revealed Trump's rare admission of the deal's 'complexity' and its potential to reshape the streaming TV landscape. He hinted at the fierce corporate warfare behind the scenes, noting, 'There's a theory that one of the companies is too big and it shouldn't be allowed to do it, and the other company is saying something else. They're beating the hell out of each other—and there'll be a winner.'
Trump's withdrawal comes as Paramount Skydance aggressively campaigns to outbid Netflix for Warner Bros. Discovery, setting the stage for a high-stakes antitrust showdown that could define the future of entertainment. Insiders suggest his sudden hands-off approach may signal deeper political or legal calculations, leaving Wall Street and Hollywood on edge ahead of the Justice Department's final ruling.
