Trump Purchased Netflix Bonds During Warner Bros Bid War

Recent government disclosures reveal that United States President Donald Trump invested significantly in corporate debt during a high-stakes media acquisition battle. Between December and January, Trump purchased more than $1.1 million in bonds issued by Netflix, Inc. while the streaming company was competing against PARAMOUNT GLOBAL-CLASS A to acquire Warner Bros Discovery. Disclosures from the Office of Government Ethics indicate Trump acquired Netflix bonds in four separate transactions. The first two occurred on December 12 and 16, followed by two more on January 2 and 20. While the exact figures are reported in ranges, the total investment is estimated between $1.1 million and $2.25 million. These bonds, which carry a 5.375% interest rate and mature in 2029, fluctuated in value as the bidding war intensified. In addition to the Netflix holdings, Trump also bought between $500,002 and $1 million in Warner Bros bonds in mid-December. These bonds were trading at roughly 92 cents on the dollar at the time of purchase and have since appreciated to approximately 95 cents. The timing of these investments has drawn attention because the president and his regulatory officials were publicly critical of Netflix during the same period. Officials questioned the antitrust implications of a potential Netflix-Warner Bros merger and pressured the streaming giant to remove board member Susan Rice. White House officials maintain that the investments do not violate ethics rules. > \"President Trump’s assets are in a trust managed by his children,\" said White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly. \"There are no conflicts of interest.\" The competition for Warner Bros Discovery eventually saw Paramount emerge victorious with a $110 billion offer. Paramount's bid was bolstered by Larry Ellison, a prominent Republican donor and co-founder of Oracle Corporation, who personally guaranteed over $40 billion for the deal. The final transaction is expected to be supported by $39 billion in new debt provided by a consortium including Bank of America Corporation, Citigroup Inc., and Apollo Global Management, Inc.. Netflix eventually withdrew its bid on February 27, shortly before the latest ethics disclosures were made public. Trump, a veteran real estate investor with reported assets exceeding $1 billion, continues to hold diverse business interests ranging from golf clubs to digital assets.