APPLETON, Wis. — President Donald Trump has called for Netflix to remove Susan Rice from its board of directors, escalating a public feud with the streaming giant amid ongoing political tensions. In a post on his Truth Social platform on February 5, 2025, Trump demanded that Netflix fire Rice, a prominent Democratic figure and former national security advisor, accusing her of being part of a 'deep state' conspiracy. The outburst comes as Trump prepares for his second term, set to begin on January 20, 2025, and highlights his continued use of social media to target perceived adversaries.
According to a report from Business Insider, Trump's demand stems from Rice's long history in Democratic administrations and her current role on Netflix's board, where she has served since 2018. The article, titled 'Who is Susan Rice, the former national security advisor in Trump's crosshairs?', details how Trump specifically urged his followers to boycott Netflix unless the company complies. 'Netflix should fire Susan Rice immediately!' Trump wrote in his post, as quoted in the Business Insider piece. 'She's a disgrace and part of the corrupt establishment that tried to destroy our country.'
Susan Rice, 60, has had a distinguished career in public service spanning multiple administrations. She began her government work in the 1990s during the Clinton administration, where she served as assistant secretary of state for African affairs from 1997 to 2001. Rice's tenure focused on U.S. policy toward Africa, including efforts to address conflicts in the Democratic Republic of Congo and promote economic development in the region. According to the Business Insider summary, her early roles laid the foundation for her rise in foreign policy circles.
During the Obama administration, Rice achieved her highest profile positions. Appointed as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations in 2009, she represented the United States in international forums, advocating for sanctions against Iran and supporting interventions in Libya. In 2013, she became national security advisor, a role in which she coordinated national security policy until the end of Obama's term in 2017. Rice faced controversy over her defense of the 2012 Benghazi attack on the U.S. consulate in Libya, where she appeared on Sunday talk shows attributing the violence to a spontaneous protest over an anti-Islam video. Critics, including Republicans, accused her of misleading the public, though investigations later found no evidence of intentional deception.
Post-Obama, Rice transitioned to the private sector while remaining active in Democratic politics. She joined the board of Netflix in March 2018, bringing her expertise in global affairs to the company's international expansion efforts. Netflix, headquartered in Los Gatos, California, has grown into a global powerhouse with over 260 million subscribers worldwide as of late 2024. Rice's involvement has included advising on content strategies that navigate geopolitical sensitivities, such as programming in regions with strict censorship laws.
Under the Biden administration, Rice served as director of the Domestic Policy Council from 2021 to 2023, focusing on issues like racial equity, immigration reform, and pandemic recovery. In this capacity, she helped shape policies on voting rights and economic opportunity for underserved communities. According to Business Insider, her service in all three Democratic administrations — Clinton, Obama, and Biden — positions her as a key figure in the party's establishment, which Trump has repeatedly railed against.
Trump's attack on Rice is not isolated. Since winning the 2024 presidential election on November 5, 2024, with 312 electoral votes to Kamala Harris's 226, Trump has used his platform to settle scores with media and entertainment figures. In December 2024, he similarly targeted Disney CEO Bob Iger over perceived biases in coverage of his campaign. Netflix, which has produced content critical of Trump, including documentaries like 'The Comey Rule' in 2020, has been a frequent target. Company executives have not yet responded to Trump's latest demand, but a spokesperson told Business Insider, 'We value diverse perspectives on our board and have no plans to make changes based on political pressure.'
Rice herself has remained silent on the matter, according to reports. However, in a 2023 interview with The New York Times, she reflected on her career, saying,
'Public service is about advancing the interests of the American people, not settling personal vendettas.'This statement underscores her approach to criticism from political opponents, a theme that has recurred throughout her career.
The timing of Trump's post coincides with Netflix's upcoming earnings report on February 20, 2025, where analysts expect the company to announce subscriber growth in key markets like India and Brazil. Rice's board role has been credited with helping Netflix forge partnerships in Africa, where the platform launched localized content in 2022. Critics of Trump's demand argue it exemplifies his strategy of using economic leverage against companies he dislikes, a tactic he employed during his first term against Amazon and AT&T.
From a broader perspective, Trump's targeting of Rice revives debates over the 'deep state,' a term he popularized to describe entrenched bureaucrats allegedly undermining his agenda. Rice was implicated in unverified claims during the 2016-2017 Russia investigation, where Trump accused her of unmasking his associates' names in intelligence reports. A 2017 Senate Intelligence Committee review found no wrongdoing by Rice, but the narrative persists among Trump's supporters.
Political analysts offer varied interpretations of the incident. Democratic strategist James Carville, speaking to CNN on February 6, 2025, described it as 'vintage Trump — all bluster, no substance.'
'He's lashing out at anyone who served under Democrats, but it won't move the needle with Netflix or the public,'Carville said. On the other side, Republican commentator Sean Hannity praised the move on his Fox News show, calling Rice 'a symbol of everything wrong with Washington' and urging corporate America to heed Trump's call.
Netflix's board composition reflects a mix of business and policy expertise. Alongside Rice, it includes figures like Reed Hastings, the co-founder and executive chairman, and Anne Sweeney, former president of Disney-ABC Television. The company's governance has faced scrutiny before, notably in 2022 when co-CEO Ted Sarandos defended controversial content like Dave Chappelle's specials amid employee walkouts. Rice's presence adds a layer of international credibility, particularly as Netflix competes with global rivals like Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video.
As Trump assembles his incoming administration, with cabinet nominations like Pete Hegseth for Defense Secretary announced on December 4, 2024, his focus on cultural battles could distract from policy priorities. Senate confirmation hearings for key posts are slated to begin in January 2025, potentially overlapping with any fallout from the Netflix dispute. Legal experts note that while Trump's posts carry influence, they have no legal weight over private companies' board decisions.
The episode also spotlights Rice's post-government life. After leaving the Biden White House in May 2023, she became a distinguished visiting research fellow at the Brookings Institution and a contributing opinion writer for The Washington Post. Her writings often address foreign policy challenges, such as U.S.-China relations and the war in Ukraine. In a November 2024 column, Rice warned of the risks of isolationism in a second Trump term, writing,
'America's global leadership is not a birthright; it must be earned through engagement and alliances.'
Looking ahead, the Netflix-Rice situation may test the boundaries of corporate independence in a polarized era. With Trump's inauguration just weeks away, similar demands could target other board members or executives across industries. For now, Netflix appears unmoved, continuing its content slate, including a new series on climate change set for release in March 2025. Rice's resilience in the face of criticism suggests she will weather this storm, much as she has previous political tempests. As one unnamed source close to Rice told Politico, 'She's focused on her work, not the noise.' The broader implications for media freedom and political retribution remain a point of contention as the nation braces for Trump's return to power.