Trump pushes Netflix to remove Susan Rice from board

Former President Trump urged Netflix to remove former national security advisor Susan Rice from its board, creating additional political challenges for the streaming service's efforts to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery's major entertainment assets.

"Netflix should terminate racist, Trump-obsessed Susan Rice, RIGHT NOW, or face the repercussions," Trump stated in a post on Saturday evening on his platform.Truth Social platform, referring to the former Obama and Biden senior advisor as a "political hack."

In a recent conversation on former U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara's podcast, Rice mentioned that when Democrats regain control, they should not "forgive or forget" the companies that "kissed the ground" for Trump. "Whether you're a law firm, a university, a media organization, a major corporation, or Big Tech, you need to take a long-term approach, rather than this short-sighted strategy that has caused so much harm," she stated.

The president's statement addressed a post from Laura Loomer, an ally of Trump, who criticized Rice and suggested that Trump should prevent Netflix's deal with Warner. Loomer, a conservative online figure, has advocated for removing several individuals.acting national-security officialsshe asserts that they are disloyal to the president or his plans.

Netflix did not promptly respond to a request for statement, and Rice was not immediately available.

The communications arrive at a sensitive moment for Netflix, as it has been working to strengthen its ties with the Trump administration.

Netflix is involved in a $72 billion agreement to purchase Warner's film and television studios along with the HBO Max streaming service, pending approval from the Department of Justice. Meanwhile, it is also attempting to prevent Paramount, which has launched a hostile offer for the entirety of Warner, including its cable network division that houses CNN, TNT, and other channels. Paramount's proposal is worth $77.9 billion.

Last week, Warner agreed to aseven-day negotiation windowfor Paramount to present a "best and final" offer for the company. That deadline is Monday. Netflix would then be allowed to match any proposal.

The Department of Justice has been examining whether Netflix'splanned Warner dealcould solidify its dominance in the market or result in a monopoly, The Wall Street Journal has reported.

Rice, who once held the position of U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, was a member of the Netflix board from 2018 to 2021 and returned to the board in 2023. She had also previously acted as a general trustee at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Trumpnamed himself chairat the Washington institution last year.

In December, the White House announced that the location would be named the Trump-Kennedy Center, although Democrats have argued that the board does not have the power to rename a memorial established by law.

Write to Joe Flint atJoe.Flint@wsj.com and Drew FitzGerald at andrew.fitzgerald@wsj.com