A humorous Twitter interaction between Elon Musk and Donald Trump Jr. on Friday went viral, sparking speculation that Musk may buy the cable news network MSNBC. Trump Jr. tagged Musk in a post about Comcast allegedly putting MSNBC up for sale, adding, “Hey @elonmusk “I have the funniest idea ever!!!”
This lighthearted interaction piqued the interest of social media users, notably in the MAGA group, who joked about Musk calling the network “MXNBC.” The conversation started when Donald Trump Jr. posted about Comcast’s likely plans to sell MSNBC as part of a bigger restructuring of its cable businesses. Trump Jr.
Comcast has announced plans to split off many cable networks, including MSNBC, as part of a move to prioritize higher-performing brands such as NBC and Bravo. Channels such as MSNBC, E!, CNBC, and the Golf Channel will merge into a new publicly traded firm, allowing Comcast to streamline operations in the face of dwindling cable TV ratings.
MSNBC, in particular, has struggled with ratings over time. Ratings reportedly fell following Donald Trump’s 2016 election victory, and its morning show, Morning Joe, drew criticism for its hosts’ attempts to reconcile with Trump after previously condemning him.
Musk’s history of media acquisitions lends credibility to any rumor regarding his interest in the business. His $44 billion purchase of Twitter in 2022 has had a huge impact on how public discourse is conducted on the network. If Musk acquires MSNBC, his strategy might further alter the way news is produced and consumed.
MAGA supporters, including Donald Trump Jr., frequently criticize mainstream media channels such as MSNBC, accusing them of bias. This is not the first time Trump Jr. has criticized MSNBC. He recently mocked Morning Joe presenters Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski for wanting to reconcile with his father after years of political warfare. He accused them of duplicity, claiming they compared Trump to Hitler before moderating their position.