Trump’s future in right- wing media still intact after riots
WASHINGTON— Facebook and Twitter banned him. Cabinet officers have abandoned him. And members of Congresswant to impeachhimagain.
But even as SiliconValley andWashington drew the line with President Donald Trumpafter he encouraged supporters to descend on the U. S. Capitol last week — leading to a deadly clash — his potential future in conservative media looks largely unharmed.
“Donald Trump is a money- making commodity in media,” said Sam Nunberg, aformercampaign adviser. “There will always be a space for him. He will always have a tremendous audience. Even people who hatehimwillwatch him.”
Other social media companies also are taking steps against Trump, blocking his favorite avenues to reach supporters. But with a love for the limelight, he is expected to pursue media opportunities of some kind after he leaves office, according to many observers, whetherit’sabookdeal, a lucrative role at a news channel or his own media venture.
Hicks Equity Partners, a private equity company, has reportedly tried to raise moneytocreatearight- leaningchanneltocompetewith Fox Corp.’ s Fox News, the most- watched cable news channel.
It’s unclear whether the company, led by Trump supporter Thomas Hicks, is still pursuing the idea or whether Trump would be welcome on the channel. A spokesman didn’t respond to a request for comment.
What’s less certain is howmuch play Trump will continue to get in the mainstream media. For years, he helped outlets like Fox News, CNN, MSNBC and TheNewYork Times boost their audiences and they’re unlikely to ignorehiminthe future.
While some major media executives denounced the attacks on the Capitol, they stopped short of blaming Trumpdirectly forsparking them.
Bob Chapek, chief executive officer of ABC owner Walt Disney Co., called the violence “an egregious and inexcusable assault on America’s most revered institution and our democracy.”
John Stankey, CEO of CNN parent AT& T Inc., said the violence “makes clear that elected officials’ perpetuation of the fiction of a fraudulent 2020 presidential election is not only reprehensible but also a danger to our democracy.”
But for media conglomerates whose prosperity hinges on attracting audiences in large numbers, it canbehardtocutoffpurveyors of misinformation.
AT& T, for instance, owns the satellite- TV provider DirecTV, the largest distributor of the right- wing One America News Network. The pro- Trump channel has raised doubts about the electionresultsandreported lastweek, withoutevidence, that “far- left instigators” infiltrated the protests at the Capitol.
MSNBC owner Comcast Corp. and CharterCommunications Inc., the two largest U. S. cable operators, carry Newsmax, where host Greg Kelly challenged the election results and told viewers last week that Trump supporters weren’t behind the attacks.
On Thursday, Simon & Schustermoved to distance itself from one backer of election fraud claims. The publisher, which is being bought by Bertelsmann SE, canceled plans to publish a book by Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri, citing his efforts tooverturn theelectionandtheensuing violence at the Capitol.
But there’s a difference between a book by a lesser- known senator and one byTrump, Nunberg said.
“Simon& Schusterwould love to publish a Donald Trumpbook,” hesaid.“That book will sell more than Obama’s. Anditwouldn’tbe 700 pages.”