“I’ll be involved in that decision,” Trump said upon arriving at the Kennedy Centre
Honours awards ceremony, referring to the decision facing federal regulators weighing the nearly US$83 billion ($143b) deal that has raised anti-trust concerns and ire among Hollywood’s elite.

Trump also lavished praise on Netflix co-chief executive Ted Sarandos, who recently visited the White House, saying “he’s done one of the greatest jobs in the history of movies”.

If completed in its current form, Netflix would absorb competing streaming platform HBO Max and Warner Bros studios, which has produced film classics including Casablanca and Citizen Kane, over the decades, as well as more recent blockbusters like Barbie.

The acquisition would give Netflix a massive catalogue, with a vast array of content, including the Harry Potter films, The Lord of the Rings saga, and the superheroes of DC Studios – Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman, for starters.