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President Donald Trump on Saturday called on Netflix to remove board member Susan Rice and warned the company would “pay the consequences” if it failed to do so, drawing attention to a dispute after the former Obama and Biden administration official criticized corporations she said were accommodating the president.
In a post on Truth Social, President Trump wrote, “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. How much is she being paid, and for what??? Thank you for your attention to this matter. President DJT.”
Rice has served on Netflix’s board of directors since 2023 and previously held a board seat from 2018 to 2020. The company announced in September 2023 that she had been reappointed, Newsmax reported.
President Trump’s post linked to a message on X from conservative activist Laura Loomer that included video of Rice criticizing corporations and institutions that she said were acting in “self-interest” by aligning with Trump.
According to Loomer’s description of the clip, Rice suggested that companies that “took a knee to Trump” could face accountability from Democrats if they regained power in the 2026 midterm elections or the 2028 presidential race.
In the video, Rice argued that some organizations were misjudging the political landscape, claiming President Trump “is not popular” and cautioning that a shift in power could bring repercussions for companies making short-term decisions to accommodate him. Rice additionally criticized Trump’s efforts to roll back federal diversity, equity and inclusion policies.
Referring to War Department Secretary Pete Hegseth, Rice said, “Well, if you’re a white male Christian cisgender macho MAGA man, you can be as dumb as a rock and be deemed qualified to serve as Secretary of Defense. That’s apparently what we’ve learned from this episode.”
President Trump’s comments come as Netflix is pursuing a deal to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery. The Justice Department is reportedly reviewing whether the proposed merger could harm competition in the entertainment industry.
