Trump Threatens Netflix Over Board Member Susan Rice

President Donald Trump issued a warning to Netflix on Saturday, demanding the immediate dismissal of board member Susan Rice. Through a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump stated that the streaming giant would “pay the consequences” if it failed to remove her from its board of directors, where she has served since 2018.

The ultimatum follows recent remarks made by Rice, a former UN ambassador who held key roles during the Obama and Biden administrations. During an appearance on the “Stay Tuned with Preet” podcast, Rice suggested that companies aligning themselves with Trump would face scrutiny once Democrats regain power.

“If these corporations think that the Democrats, when they come back in power, are going to, you know, 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, you know, the laws you’ve skirted,’ I think they’ve got another thing coming,” Rice remarked during the interview.

Escalating Tensions and Regulatory Hurdles

In his Truth Social message, Trump characterized Rice as a “political hack” and questioned the value she brings to the company. While the former president did not specify what “consequences” he implied, the timing of the demand coincides with Netflix’s pending acquisition of Warner Bros., a deal that requires approval from federal regulators.

The situation involves several complex factors:

• Regulatory Oversight: The massive Netflix-Warner Bros. merger remains subject to federal review.
• Previous Interactions: Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos reportedly met with Trump prior to the deal’s announcement. Trump has previously described Netflix as a “great company” but noted its significant market share as a point of interest for future oversight.
• Political Criticism: Trump’s post also amplified claims from activist Laura Loomer, who alleged that the merger would create a streaming monopoly benefiting the Obama family, who maintain a production partnership with Netflix through Higher Ground.

This is not the first time Trump has publicly pressured major corporations to terminate specific executives. Last year, he issued a similar demand regarding Microsoft’s president of global affairs, Lisa Monaco. Despite the public pressure, Monaco remains in her position at Microsoft, highlighting the uncertain impact of such demands on corporate governance.