Media Oligarchs & the Trump Takeover

Large parts of the traditional and social media were already controlled by conservatives before Trump’s reelection. Fox News was already reliably conservative and will remain so when Rupert Murdoch’s most right-wing child, Lachlan, takes over. [1] Since Elon Musk (left) acquired it in 2022, Twitter/X has also become a conduit for extreme right views [2], including those of Musk himself.

Backed by his father Larry (left), whose net worth has doubled in the past year thanks to the Trump-backed AI infrastructure boom, David Ellison’s Skydance Media has acquired Paramount Global, which owns CBS. Ellison has put Bari Weiss, who has built a career challenging supposed left-wing bias in the media, in charge of CBS News. Trump has praised her as a “great new leader.” [3] Meanwhile, ten days after the acquisition, CBS announced the cancellation of The Colbert Show, effectively silencing one of Trump’s most prominent critics. [4]

In his first term, Trump backed moves to remove TikTok from Chinese ownership. But after the election, Trump credited TikTok influencers with his surge in support among young voters. [5] As President he delayed enforcement of the law requiring divestment of Chinese ownership until he could negotiate a deal replacing Chinese control with ownership by right-wing American tech and media oligarchs including Larry Ellison, Rupert Murdoch, and Michael Dell. [6]

Meta, which controls Facebook and Instagram, the largest and second largest social media platforms, respectively, has paid Trump $22 million to settle his frivolous claim that it violated his First Amendment rights when it suspended his Facebook account for inciting violence in 2020. Meta has also pandered to MAGA by ending its attempts to limit dissemination of far-right conspiracy theories and has donated to the Trump inauguration and ballroom. (Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg pictured with Trump, left)

Apple and Google instantly complied with Trump DOJ demands to take down apps that collect reports of abuses by ICE agents. [7] Google settled Trump’s “first amendment” lawsuit against it for $24.5 million, while both companies contributed to the White House Ballroom. [8] (Apple CEO Tim Cook pictured with Trump, left)

Comcast is only the traditional media company to have donated to Trump ballroom, in hope of placating Trump’s anger at critical voices on MSNBC, such as Rachel Maddow (left) [9]. Comcast is also spinning off MSNBC, likely in order to insulate its wider business interests from the enmity of Trump and others antagonized by MSNBC commentators.  

The Disney Corporation, which owns ABC News, paid Trump $15 million to settle his defamation suit complaining that commentator stated that Trump had been found liable for rape, when it was in fact he was “only” found liable for “sexual abuse.” [10] Disney also suspended Jimmy Kimmel (left) the instant Trump’s FCC Chairman Brendan Carr threatened it for airing the comedian’s criticism of the MAGA-approved explanation for Charlie Kirk’s killing. [11]