Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings, who has become one of the largest donors to the Democratic Party in recent years, called on President Biden on Wednesday to give up his position as the top Democratic presidential candidate.
Hastings was one of the first to say publicly what many Democratic big donors have been saying privately: “Biden needs to step aside and let strong Democratic leadership work to defeat Trump and keep us all safe and prosperous,” he said in an email to The Times.
Biden and White House officials have said he has no plans to resign, but Hastings’ public comments mark a new rift in the president’s base.
Hastings and his wife, Patty Quillin, have become among the Democratic Party’s most generous donors during the Trump administration. Together, they have given more than $20 million to the party over the past few years, including $1.5 million to support Biden in the 2020 presidential election and $100,000 last summer to support him in 2024. Most of their donations have gone to super PACs supporting Democrats in the House and Senate.
Hollywood leaders who toasted Biden at a glitzy fundraiser just last month are also starting to air their concerns. On Tuesday, power agent Ari Emanuel aired his own frustrations.
Education reform is a political issue that Hastings has long been deeply committed to, while Quillin has placed a particular emphasis on racial equity. Hastings has recently developed a close relationship with California Governor Gavin Newsom, who has been discussed as a possible candidate to replace Biden, and in 2021 donated $3 million to help defeat the recall election Newsom faced.
Hastings helped found Netflix nearly 30 years ago and currently serves as the company’s executive chairman, but he stepped down as CEO in January 2023 to devote more time to philanthropy, politics and his true passion: skiing.
Rebecca Davis O’Brien contributed reporting.
