Kenneth Glad
The president’s comments add political tension to an already closely watched merger review process.
President Donald Trump has publicly urged Netflix to remove former national security adviser Susan Rice from its board, stepping into a high-stakes media takeover already headed for federal scrutiny.
In a post on Truth Social on Saturday, Feb. 22, Trump wrote, according to The Guardian: “Netflix should fire racist, Trump Deranged Susan Rice, IMMEDIATELY, or pay the consequences. She’s got no talent or skills – Purely a political hack!”
Rice rejoined Netflix’s board in 2023, having previously served from 2018 to 2020. Before that, she was U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and national security adviser under President Barack Obama.
The Guardian linked Trump’s remarks to Rice’s recent appearance on a podcast in which she suggested that corporations aligned with Trump could face consequences if Democrats return to power.
Trump also amplified a post from conservative activist Laura Loomer calling Rice and Netflix “anti-American.” Danish tabloid Ekstra Bladet notes that Trump has accused Netflix of left-leaning bias for several years.
Bidding War for Warner Bros. Discovery
The comments come as Netflix competes with Paramount Skydance to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD).
The Guardian writes that Netflix is pursuing WBD’s film and television divisions, including Warner Bros. studios and HBO. The assets include franchises such as Harry Potter and Batman, along with HBO titles like Game of Thrones and Succession.
Paramount Skydance has submitted a rival offer worth more than $100 billion, The Guardian reported. The bid is backed by the Ellison family.
Any agreement would need approval from the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. No timetable has been announced.
Critics cited in the British outlet have warned that combining Netflix’s subscriber base with WBD’s production library could deepen concentration in the U.S. streaming market. Regulators are expected to examine subscriber overlap, pricing leverage and control over licensing rights.
Control of the Review
The broader issue is control of the review. MS NOW noted that the administration oversees the agencies responsible for evaluating major mergers, even though Trump has previously said the Justice Department would handle the WBD matter.
Major media mergers often draw political attention. In 2018, the Justice Department challenged AT&T’s purchase of Time Warner, arguing it would reduce competition. The government lost that case in court, but only after extended litigation.
Neither Netflix nor Paramount Skydance has commented publicly on Trump’s latest statement.
Sources: The Guardian, Ekstra Bladet, MS NOW
