How the Susan Rice snafu cost Netflix on home stretch of Warner Bros. Discovery deal

https://nypost.com/2026/02/27/media/how-the-susan-rice-snafu-cost-netflix-
on-home-stretch-of-warner-bros-discovery-deal/

There were several reasons why streaming giant Netflix pulled out of the 
bidding war for Warner Bros. Discovery. You might want to add Susan Rice 
to the list.

The former Obama national security adviser, UN ambassador, partisan 
Democrat and currently a Netflix board member made a splash last week, and 
not in a good way.

Just as the Trump administration’s Department of Justice was weighing the 
antitrust merits of the deal, former Obama national security adviser, UN 
ambassador, partisan Democrat and currently Netflix board member Rice 
appeared last week on a podcast hosted by Preet Bharara, former US 
Attorney for the Southern District of New York, a longtime Democrat and 
also a frequent critic of the president.

Rice warned that corporations that “take a knee” when dealing with to the 
Trump administration demands on various matters should expect to be “held 
accountable” if Dems return 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, you know, 
. . . 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,” Rice 
added.

Lets just say when the president heard about Rice’s remarks, Trump wasn’t 
too happy. He responded on Truth Social, “Netflix should fire racist, 
Trump Deranged Susan Rice, IMMEDIATELY, or pay the consequences.” he 
posted on his Truth Social account on Saturday.

The timing was particularly bad because the DOJ was cranking up its 
inquiry into Netflix’s then nearly completed, $73 billion purchase of 
WBD’s studio and streamer, including whether its purchase of HBO Max 
layered on its own streaming service constituted a monopoly that could 
hurt consumers.

The regulatory heat had become so great that Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos 
launched a charm offensive with his team of lobbyists that the streaming 
giant wasn’t looking to price gouge. Sarandos himself showed up at the 
White House to press the flesh and meet with Trump AG Pam Bondi and 
members of the DOJ’s antitrust staff amid the backdrop of Rice’s threat.

 A few hours after the meeting ended later, Netflix pulled itself out of 
the bidding war, handing the company to Paramount Skydance, which recently 
increased its bid to $80.5 billion. In announcing the move, Sarandos 
citied the ever growing price of the deal.

My sources say the DOJ indicated to Sarandos it had antitrust concerns 
about the WBD deal despite his argument that competition from YouTube 
negates them.

But Rice’s remarks didn’t make Sarandos’ job any easier, I am told by 
people close to the administration. One senior Trump regulatory official 
even quipped with a laugh that Sarandos should have “let Susan Rice tag 
along” to his DOJ sitdown.

A Netflix rep said Sarandos’ meeting was unrelated to Rice and set up two 
weeks ago. Rice could not be reached for comment


-- 
November 5, 2024 - Congratulations President Donald Trump.  We look 
forward to America being great again.

We live in a time where intelligent people are being silenced so that 
stupid people won't be offended.

Every day is an IQ test. Some pass, some, not so much.

Thank you for cleaning up the disasters of the 2008-2017, 2020-2024 Obama 
/ Biden / Harris fiascos, President Trump.

Under Barack Obama's leadership, the United States of America became the 
The World According To Garp.  Obama sold out heterosexuals for Hollywood 
queer liberal democrat donors.