Donald Trump expanded his investment holdings earlier this year by purchasing up to $1.25 million in bonds from Netflix, according to financial disclosure documents released by the US Office of Government Ethics.
The filings show that Trump's trust made two separate purchases in January. The first transaction on Jan. 2 was valued between $500,000 and $1 million.
A second purchase on Jan. 20 added another $100,000 to $250,000 in Netflix bonds. These investments followed an earlier purchase in December worth between $500,000 and $1 million, Variety reported.
The bond purchases happened during a tense competition in the media industry. Netflix was trying to acquire assets from Warner Bros.
Discovery but ultimately lost the deal to Paramount Skydance, led by media executive David Ellison.
The agreement, valued at about $111 billion, would combine several major entertainment brands, including CNN, CBS, HBO, Paramount, and Warner Bros.
Netflix's attempt to secure the deal reportedly failed after company leadership struggled to convince officials in the Trump administration that the takeover should move forward despite antitrust concerns.
Ted Sarandos had sought approval for the acquisition, but the streaming giant did not increase its offer to match Paramount Skydance's proposal.
Trump trust bought up to $1.25M in Netflix debt during bidding war for Warner Bros. Discovery: filings
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President Trump’s trust bought as much as $1.25 million worth of Netflix bonds in January as the streamer was entangled in a brutal bidding war with …
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According to NY Post, despite losing the bidding war, Netflix's stock price has climbed roughly 17% after months of decline, suggesting investor confidence returned after the deal concluded.
The White House said the president's investments are handled through a trust managed by his children and financial advisers, meaning Trump does not control the day-to-day decisions. Officials insist the arrangement prevents any conflict of interest.
"President Trump only acts in the best interests of the American public – which is why they overwhelmingly re-elected him to this office," said White House spokesperson Anna Kelly in a statement.
She added that accusations about conflicts involving the president's business holdings are part of "years of lies and false accusations."
Financial disclosures also revealed that Trump invested in bonds from several other major companies, including SiriusXM, General Motors, Occidental Petroleum, Victoria's Secret, Macy's, Carnival Corporation, Boeing and Wells Fargo.
Earlier filings also showed that Trump held a smaller amount of Netflix stock in 2024 and received a $333 residual payment from Warner Bros. for his cameo appearances in television shows and films.
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