President Donald Trump demanded Saturday that Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX) fire a Democratic board member or face federal “consequences” — a move that appeared to validate the very warning that prompted his outrage.
Former national security adviser Susan Rice had argued just days earlier that corporations bowing to political pressure should expect to be held accountable. Trump’s response was to apply political pressure to a corporation, threatening to use an active $82.7 billion merger review as leverage.
Trump posted the demand on his Truth Social platform after Rice, a former national security adviser under President Barack Obama and domestic policy chief under President Joe Biden, warned on a podcast that corporations deferring to Trump should expect political blowback once Democrats return to power.
“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???”
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Rice made the remarks on the “Stay Tuned with Preet” podcast, hosted by former US Attorney Preet Bharara, in an episode published February 20. She criticized law firms, universities, media organizations, and corporations for what she described as short-term capitulation to political pressure.
“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 violated, all the laws you skirted’ — I think they’ve got another thing coming,” Rice said.
She also predicted an electoral shift heading into the 2026 midterms, arguing that Trump’s standing on the economy and immigration has eroded public support. “There is likely to be a swing in the other direction, and they are going to be caught with more than their pants down,” she said.
The demand lands at an especially tricky moment for Netflix, which is currently pursuing an $82.7 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery — a deal the Department of Justice is actively reviewing. Paramount Skydance launched a competing all-cash hostile takeover bid, offering WBD shareholders $30 per share.
Trump told NBC News earlier this month that the DOJ would “handle” the Netflix-Warner Bros. review and that he would stay out of the process — a position his Saturday post appeared to contradict.
Rice has served on Netflix’s board since 2018. She stepped down in 2021 to join the Biden administration and rejoined the board in 2023 after leaving government.
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