Donald Trump has said he will be "involved" in the decision on whether Netflix should be allowed to buy Warner Bros, as the $72bn (£54bn) deal attracts a media industry backlash.
According to Sky News, the US president acknowledged in remarks to reporters there "could be a problem", acknowledging concerns over the streaming giant's market dominance.
It was revealed on Friday that Netflix, already the world's biggest streaming service by market share, had agreed to buy Warner Bros Discovery's TV, film studios and HBO Max streaming division.
The deal aims to complete late next year after the Discovery element of the business, mainly legacy TV channels showing cartoons, news and sport, has been spun off.
But the deal has attracted cross-party criticism on competition grounds, and there is also opposition in Hollywood.
The president said of the Netflix deal's path to regulatory clearance, "I'll be involved in that decision. "On the likely opposition to the deal. he added: "That's going to be for some economists to tell. But it is a big market share. There's no question it could be a problem."
Republican Senator, Roger Marshall, said in a statement, "Netflix's attempt to buy Warner Bros would be the largest media takeover in history - and it raises serious red flags for consumers, creators, movie theaters, and local businesses alike.”
Netflix has said the deal would create jobs and give its 300 million subscribers "more bang for their buck." The deal, which would eliminate competition between HBO Max and Netflix, is likely to face significant antitrust review by the Justice Department.
