Line Crossed? Trump Encourages New ‘Activist’ AT&T Investor to Stop ‘Fake News Emanating’ From CNN
President Donald Trump lauded the news that an activist hedge fund has a multi-billion dollar stake in AT&T — and called for them to “put a stop to all of the Fake News” presented by CNN and its anchors.
In a pair of — at best, ethically questionable — tweets Monday morning, the president raged against CNN, following news of Elliott Management disclosing a $3.2 billion stake in communications giant AT&T, which owns CNN.
“Great news that an activist investor is now involved with AT&T,” Trump wrote. “As the owner of VERY LOW RATINGS @CNN, perhaps they will now put a stop to all of the Fake News emanating from its non-credible “anchors.” Also, I hear that, because of its bad ratings, it is losing a fortune … But most importantly, @CNN is bad for the USA. Their International Division spews bad information & Fake News all over the globe. This is why foreign leaders are always asking me, “Why does the Media hate the U.S. sooo much?” It is a fraudulent shame, & all comes from the top!”
Great news that an activist investor is now involved with AT&T. As the owner of VERY LOW RATINGS @CNN, perhaps they will now put a stop to all of the Fake News emanating from its non-credible “anchors.” Also, I hear that, because of its bad ratings, it is losing a fortune…..
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 9, 2019
…But most importantly, @CNN is bad for the USA. Their International Division spews bad information & Fake News all over the globe. This is why foreign leaders are always asking me, “Why does the Media hate the U.S. sooo much?” It is a fraudulent shame, & all comes from the top!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 9, 2019
Later, Trump raged at Comcast and MSNBC.
..that this Administration has done. They don’t talk about the great economy, the big tax and regulation cuts, the rebuilding of the Military, “Choice” at our VA, our Vets, Judges and Supreme Court Justices, the Border Wall going up, lowest crime numbers, 2nd A, and so much more!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 9, 2019
As flagged by Matthew Gertz of Media Matters, Mornings With Maria on Fox Business covered the AT&T news approximately 30 minutes before Trump’s tweet.
Executive time.
Left, Fox Business’ Mornings with Maria, 8:29 a.m.
“Activist investor Elliott announcing a $3.2 billion stake in AT&T and outlining a plan to boost shares by over 65%.”
Right, Trump, 9:01 a.m. pic.twitter.com/jbGY39CfD8
— Matthew Gertz (@MattGertz) September 9, 2019
Further, as noted by Maggie Haberman of The New York Times, Trump’s tweet coincided with a CNN report on how a spy was pulled out of Russia in 2017 over fears of the president handling classified intelligence.
This tweet came as CNN was reporting on extraction of a spy partly because of concerns about how the president and his administration handled classified Intel https://t.co/LcfVYXTISS
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) September 9, 2019
CNN VP of communications Matt Dornic has responded, via Twitter — touting the network’s most recent monthly Nielsen numbers, which were bolstered by two mammoth ratings nights for the Democratic presidential debates:
In case you hear differently, CNN is having its most profitable year in history. Last month the network delivered its highest August ratings on record and won the prime time demo – beating both Fox and MSNBC. ??♂️
— Matt Dornic (@mdornic) September 9, 2019
[Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images]
