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Why Trump Threatened Netflix Over Susan Rice—and What Happened Next

Trump’s February 2026 demand followed Susan Rice’s comments about possible future accountability for companies that yielded to him. Netflix later withdrew from its Warner Bros. Discovery deal.
From TheFinanceBase Team3 min to read
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On February 21, 2026, President Donald Trump demanded that Netflix fire board member Susan Rice and warned the company to “pay the consequences.” He did not specify what those consequences would be. The post followed Rice’s comments that companies which yielded to Trump should not expect Democrats to forgive them if Democrats returned to power.

What did Trump say about Netflix and Susan Rice?

In a February 21, 2026, Truth Social post, Trump wrote: “Netflix should fire racist, Trump Deranged Susan Rice, IMMEDIATELY, or pay the consequences.” TechCrunch reproduced the post the next day and reported that Trump also called Rice a “political hack” and questioned her compensation. The post did not identify the consequences he was threatening, and the cited reporting does not establish that he announced a government action. TechCrunch’s report

Why did Trump target Rice?

The post came after Rice appeared on Preet Bharara’s “Stay Tuned with Preet” podcast. Rice, a former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and former White House official, said companies that had yielded to Trump should not expect Democrats to forgive past firings, policy reversals, or laws they had skirted if Democrats returned to 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.”

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Rice was describing possible future political accountability; she was not announcing a specific government measure. Trump’s post was a demand and a threat, but its wording left the nature of the “consequences” unspecified. TechCrunch’s account of the post and podcast remarks

Is Susan Rice still on Netflix’s board?

Netflix’s 2026 proxy statement lists Rice as an independent director serving since 2023 and as a member of the nominating and governance committee. The proxy says her diplomatic, national-security, and domestic-policy experience is relevant to the board. It also notes that she previously served on Netflix’s board from 2018 to 2021. Netflix’s 2026 proxy statement

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Netflix’s 2023 Form 8-K says her latest appointment took effect September 6, 2023. That filing disclosed a $300,000 annual director retainer for 2023; it is the retainer reported in the filing, not a figure for her total compensation. Neither the filing nor the later proxy establishes a connection between that retainer and Trump’s demand. Netflix’s 2023 Form 8-K

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What was the Warner Bros. Discovery deal connection?

When Trump made his demand in February, Netflix was seeking to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery assets, and the proposed transaction faced regulatory review. Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos told the BBC, as reported by Axios: “This is a business deal. It’s not a political deal.” He also said: “This deal is run by the Department of Justice in the U.S., and regulators throughout Europe and around the world.” Those were Sarandos’s descriptions of the transaction and regulatory process; they do not make Trump’s threat a formal regulatory action. Axios’s report on Sarandos’s comments

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Netflix withdrew; Paramount’s deal remained pending on October 4

Netflix announced on February 26 that it would not raise its offer after Warner Bros. Discovery’s board determined Paramount Skydance’s proposal was superior. Netflix withdrew, leaving Paramount in position to take over WBD. Netflix’s transaction update Associated Press coverage of Netflix’s withdrawal

On September 30, the Associated Press reported that a federal judge had approved Paramount’s settlement agreement with 12 states, clearing a path for the transaction to close. The companies expected the deal to complete on October 6, 2026. As of October 4, the expected closing was still in the future; it should not be described as completed. Associated Press report on the expected closing

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