Donald Trump has publicly demanded that Netflix remove Susan Rice from its board of directors, intensifying his criticism of the streaming service amidst ongoing negotiations for a merger with Warner Bros. Discovery. In a post on Truth Social, Trump stated that Netflix should "immediately terminate" Rice or face consequences. This demand follows a statement from right-wing activist Laura Loomer, who had criticized Rice for her role at Netflix and her comments regarding Trump and corporate accountability.
Rice, who has held significant positions in the Obama and Biden administrations, recently expressed concerns about corporations that align themselves closely with Trump. In an interview on the "Stay Tuned with Preet Bharara" podcast, she discussed an "accountability agenda" for companies that do not uphold the law or yield to Trump's influence. Rice's remarks suggest that companies could face repercussions if Democrats regain power.
The clash between Trump and Rice occurs as Netflix seeks approval from the Department of Justice for its merger with Warner Bros., a deal that is currently under antitrust scrutiny. Previously, Trump had expressed concerns about Netflix's substantial market share and its potential merger implications but indicated in February that he would not intervene directly in the negotiations and would leave the matter to the DOJ.
Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos has stated that Trump has not sought political concessions during merger discussions, focusing instead on revitalizing Hollywood job production. As of now, responses from Netflix and Rice regarding Trump's demand for her removal have not been made public.