US President Donald Trump has raised potential concerns about Netflix's planned $72bn (£54bn) deal to buy film studio Warner Brothers Discovery and popular streaming networks HBO.
At an event in Washington on Sunday, he said Netflix has a “large market share” and the combined size of the companies “could be a problem.”
On Friday, both companies said they have reached an agreement this could bring Warner Brothers franchises like Harry Potter and Game of Thrones to Netflix, creating a new media giant.
The planned deal, which has raised concerns among some in the industry, has not yet been approved by antitrust authorities. The BBC has contacted Warner Brothers, Netflix and the White House for comment.
Netflix, founded in 1997 as a DVD-by-mail rental company, has grown into the world's largest subscription streaming service. The deal – the biggest in a long time in the film industry – will cement its position as number one.
The agreement will see several global entertainment franchises such as Looney Tunes, The Matrix and Lord of the Rings move to Netflix.
The US Department of Justice's competition division, which oversees major mergers, could argue that the deal violates the law if the combined entities take up too much of the streaming market.
At an event in At the John F. Kennedy Center in the US capital, Trump said Netflix has a “very large market share” that will “increase significantly” if the deal goes through.
Trump added that he would be personally involved in the decision on whether to approve the deal or not, and repeatedly emphasized Netflix's market share.
He also said that Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos recently visited the Oval Office and praised him for his work at the company.
“I have a lot of respect for him. He's a wonderful person,” Trump said. “He did some of the greatest work in film history.”
Mr Sarandos previously acknowledged the agreement may have surprised investors but said it was a chance to position Netflix for success for “the coming decades”.
Some in the entertainment industry criticized the agreement.
The Writers Guild of America East and West called for the merger to be blocked, saying “the world's largest streaming company acquiring one of its biggest competitors is what antitrust laws were designed to prevent.”
“The result will result in job losses, lower wages, worse conditions for all entertainment workers, higher prices for consumers, and a reduction in the volume and variety of content for all viewers,” the document states. said on Friday.
