Susan Rice has a message for corporate America, and it sounds a lot like a threat.
Obama’s scandal-plagued former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations sat down with former federal prosecutor Preet Bharara on his podcast Stay Tuned and laid out what Democrats have in store for businesses, law firms, universities, and media companies that have sought to accommodate the Trump administration.
It was a disturbing promise of government retribution.
Rice wasted no time getting to the point. "It's not gonna end well for them,” she promised. “For those that decided that it was, you know, that they would act in their perceived very narrow self-interest, which I would underscore is very short-term self-interest, and, you know, take a knee to Trump.”
She claimed that those same institutions are already starting to feel the political winds shift — and are beginning to regret their choices. President Donald Trump's agenda, she said, is growing unpopular, and a Democratic resurgence is coming. When it does, revenge is on the menu. And it sounds like it’s going to be served hot.
ICYMI: White Liberal Lectures Black Conservative About Race on CNN. It Does Not Go Well.
"If these corporations think that the Democrats, when they come back in power, are gonna, you know, play by the old rules, and say, 'Oh, never mind, we'll forgive you for all the people you've 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 said.
She invoked redistricting as an example of Democrats being too soft in the past — and made clear that era is over. "Just like when Trump thought, 'Okay, I'll redistrict, and the Democrats won't have the guts to play hardball,' they're gonna be surprised. Democrats have had a belly full, and we're not gonna play by, you know, the old set of rules, when these guys are playing by a very different set of rules."
She was careful to add the obligatory "we follow the law" caveat. "We're gonna play by the law, but we're not gonna be suckers," she said. Sure.
Rice made it clear that any company in any industry that accommodated the Trump administration is going to feel the wrath of the Democrats. Big tech, media, universities, law firms — all of them. "There will be an accountability agenda," she warned.
She got specific. Companies, she said, should already be preparing for investigations to come. "They better preserve their documents. They better be ready for subpoenas. If they've done something wrong, they'll be held accountable."
She offered a small olive branch to those who stayed on the “right” side of things: "If they haven't broken the law, good for them. If they've done the right things, good for them. That also will be noted and remembered."
But the bottom line was unmistakable. "This is not going to be an instance of, you know, forgive and forget… the damage that these people are doing is too severe to the American people and to our national interest," Rice said.
Susan Rice offers a taste of what’s coming should the left retake power — promises Democrats will punish corporations and other institutions who have “taken a knee to Trump.”
— Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) February 20, 2026
“It’s not going to end well for them."
“If these corporations think that the Democrats, when they come… pic.twitter.com/Hr4Lk5oica
So there you have it. A prominent Democratic voice, speaking candidly about how a future Democratic administration intends to settle scores with anyone deemed insufficiently resistant to Trump. Rice obviously tried to frame it as accountability, but she was describing ideological retribution, plain and simple. Worse yet, it was dressed up as justice. The message was pure Orwell: loyalty tests, selective memory, and threats of punishment for wrongthink.
And there’s zero reason to dismiss it as an idle threat. Democrats literally tried to put President Trump in prison to stop his return to power, and even went after his allies for supporting him. So, when Susan Rice promises the Democrats will seek retribution, believe her. We’ve seen it happen before.
Want to support fearless journalism that exposes the Left and tells the stories the media won’t? PJ Media delivers the truth and holds the powerful accountable. Become a VIP member today—your support fuels our mission and unlocks exclusive content, podcasts, an ad-free experience, and more.
Use code FIGHT for 60% off. It's a great time to join our movement. Join now and stand for America-first journalism!
Join the conversation as a VIP Member