PresidentDonald TrumpwantsNetflixto fire Susan Rice. What he hasn't said is why that matters right now, while the streaming giant's $83 billion (£62 billion) Warner Bros. acquisition sits on the Department of Justice's desk awaiting approval.
The public spat started with a podcast.
Rice, who served as US ambassador to the United Nations under Obama and domestic policy adviser under Biden, appeared on 'Stay Tuned with Preet,' hosted by former federal prosecutor Preet Bharara. Her message to corporations aligning with Trump was blunt.
'It is not going to end well for them,' Rice said. 'This is not going to be an instance of forgive and forget. The damage that these people are doing is too severe.'
Trumpfired back on Truth Socialover the weekend: 'Netflix should fire racist, Trump Deranged Susan Rice, IMMEDIATELY, or pay the consequences. She's got no talent or skills — Purely a political hack!'
He didn't specify what those consequences might be. He didn't have to.
Netflixannouncedits intention to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery's studios, HBO, and HBO Max in December 2025. TheDOJhas since opened a formal antitrust investigation examining whether the merger would violate both the Clayton Act and the Sherman Act — the federal government's primary tools for blocking monopolies.
Here's where it gets interesting.Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandosreportedly met with Trump before the deal went public. Trump told NBC in early February he 'shouldn't be involved' with the merger. That position lasted about two weeks.
Far-right activist Laura Loomer pushed him to act. 'President Trump must kill the Netflix-Warner Bros. merger now,' shewrote on X. Trump's Truth Social post included a screenshot of her message.
Sarandos responded Monday on BBC's Today programme. 'This is a business deal. It's not a political deal,' he said. 'This deal is run by the Department of Justice in the US, and regulators throughout Europe and around the world.'
Source: International Business Times UK
