President Donald Trump issued a stern ultimatum to Netflix this Saturday, demanding the immediate termination of board member Susan Rice. In a post shared on his Truth Social platform, Trump warned that the streaming giant would face unspecified “consequences” if it fails to remove the former Obama and Biden administration official from its leadership team.
The Origins of the Conflict
The tension escalated following remarks made by Susan Rice during an appearance on the “Stay Tuned with Preet” podcast. While speaking with host Preet Bharara, Rice suggested that corporations opting to align themselves with Trump should expect to be “held accountable” once Democratic leadership regains power.
“If these corporations think that the Democrats, when they come back in power, are going to play by the old rules, I think they’ve got another thing coming,” Rice stated during the interview, emphasizing that companies would not be forgiven for policies and principles they allegedly abandoned.
Trump’s Ultimatum on Truth Social
Retaliating against the comments, Trump wrote on Truth Social: “Netflix should fire racist, Trump Deranged Susan Rice, IMMEDIATELY, or pay the consequences. She’s got no talent or skills — Purely a political hack! HER POWER IS GONE, AND WILL NEVER BE BACK.”
Trump’s post also amplified claims from activist Laura Loomer, who alleged that a potential merger between Netflix and Warner Bros. could create a streaming monopoly with significant ties to the Obama family through their production company, Higher Ground.
Regulatory Scrutiny and Future Implications
While Trump did not clarify the exact nature of the “consequences” he alluded to, the timing of his threat coincides with a period of intense regulatory scrutiny for Netflix. The company’s planned acquisition of Warner Bros. assets requires approval from federal regulators.
Co-CEO Ted Sarandos reportedly held discussions with Trump prior to the announcement of the deal. At the time, Trump acknowledged Netflix as a “great company” but noted that the scale of the acquisition regarding market share would require close observation, leaving the door open for future government intervention.
A Pattern of Corporate Pressure
This is not the first time the former president has targeted high-profile corporate figures. Last autumn, Trump issued a similar demand for Microsoft to terminate its president of global affairs, Lisa Monaco, citing concerns over her political background. To date, Monaco remains in her position at Microsoft.