President Donald Trump said in a social media post Saturday that Netflix will “pay the consequences” if it does not remove Susan Rice from its board of directors, escalating tensions between the White House and the streaming giant amid its proposed acquisition of Warner Bros.
The comments followed remarks Rice made on a podcast in which she warned that corporations aligning with Trump could face accountability if Democrats return to power.
TL;DR
- Trump says Netflix will “pay the consequences” if it does not fire board member Susan Rice.
- Rice criticized corporations that “take a knee” to Trump during a podcast appearance.
- The warning comes as Netflix seeks regulatory approval for its Warner Bros. acquisition.
- Trump did not specify what consequences the company could face.
Susan Rice, who has served on Netflix’s board since 2018, appeared on the “Stay Tuned with Preet” podcast hosted by Preet Bharara. During the episode, Rice said companies that align themselves too closely with Trump could be “held accountable” when Democrats regain power.
“If these corporations think that the Democrats, when they come back in power, are going to play by the old rules, and say, ‘Oh, never mind. We’ll forgive you for all the people you fired, all the policies and principles you’ve violated, all the laws you’ve skirted,’ I think they’ve got another thing coming,” Rice said.
In response, Trump posted on Truth Social, calling for her immediate removal.
“Netflix should fire racist, Trump Deranged Susan Rice, IMMEDIATELY, or pay the consequences,” Trump wrote. “She’s got no talent or skills – Purely a political hack! HER POWER IS GONE, AND WILL NEVER BE BACK. How much is she being paid, and for what???”
Trump’s post included a screenshot from far-right activist Laura Loomer, who criticized Rice and claimed that Netflix’s proposed merger with Warner Bros. would create a streaming monopoly in which the Obamas would have a significant stake through their production company, Higher Ground.
Although Trump did not detail what actions he might take, Netflix’s planned acquisition of Warner Bros. requires federal regulatory approval. The company’s co-CEO Ted Sarandos reportedly met with Trump before the deal was announced. Afterward, Trump described Netflix as a “great company” but noted that “it’s a lot of market share, so we’ll have to see what happens.”
Rice previously served as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and held senior diplomatic and advisory roles in the Obama and Biden administrations before joining Netflix’s board.
This is not the first time Trump has publicly demanded the removal of corporate executives. Last fall, he similarly called for Microsoft to fire its president of global affairs, Lisa Monaco. She remains in her position.
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