John Malone Says Trump Administration Told Netflix They Had “No Chance” Of Getting Regulatory Greenlight For Merger With Warner Bros. Discovery

John Malone says the Trump administration told Netflix it had no chance of winning US regulatory approval for its proposed acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. He said the warning prompted Netflix to abandon its bid, clearing the way for Paramount’s purchase.

Malone, a major WBD stakeholder, made the claim at a Paley Center event but gave no further detail. Netflix co-chief executive Ted Sarandos has said President Trump was neutral and that Netflix withdrew because WBD judged Paramount’s offer superior; the Justice Department approved the transaction in June and said YouTube and social media were not competitive substitutes under antitrust precedents.