Trump Bought Netflix and Warner Bros. Bonds Just Days After Major Deal
President Donald Trump recently added Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery bonds to his investment portfolio, according to a financial disclosure released by the White House. The purchases came shortly after Netflix announced its $83 billion deal for Warner Bros., one of the biggest mergers in the entertainment industry in recent years.
The disclosure, dated January 14, shows that Trump bought multiple tranches of Netflix bonds, with each purchase valued between $250,001 and $500,000. The bonds are set to mature in November 2029.
He also acquired bonds from Discovery Communications LLC, part of Warner Bros. Discovery, with similar values and a 2030 maturity date. Alongside these, Trump purchased bonds from SiriusXM and many other corporate and municipal bonds across the U.S.
A White House official told The Hollywood Reporter that Trump does not control how these investments are managed. “Neither President Trump nor any member of his family has any ability to direct, influence, or provide input regarding how the portfolio is invested or when investments are bought or sold. All investment decisions are made entirely by independent managers,” the official said.
Most of Trump’s December bond purchases were municipal bonds from different states and cities. But he also bought corporate bonds from big companies like General Motors, Boeing, Macy’s, and Victoria’s Secret.
The timing of the Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery bond purchases is notable. They happened just a week after Netflix and Warner Bros. agreed to their megadeal. The deal is now facing challenges, including a hostile bid from Paramount and possible regulatory review. Trump has publicly said he expects to weigh in, with the Department of Justice likely taking the lead if there is a challenge.
Before the deal, Trump met with Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos. He praised Sarandos, calling him “a fantastic man.” Despite that meeting, Trump reposted an article critical of the Netflix-WBD deal titled “Stop the Netflix Cultural Takeover.” When asked about the post, Sarandos said, “I don’t know why he would have done that … No conversation we ever had was about any of the things that were in that article that he posted. I don’t want to overread it, either.”
Trump’s move into media bonds shows that even in politics, major financial deals in entertainment can grab attention. It’s interesting that the purchases coincided so closely with the Netflix-WBD merger news, even if the White House says he doesn’t control the investments. It raises questions about timing and optics. What do you think about Trump investing in these media bonds right after the big deal? Share your thoughts in the comments.
