Recent viral claims suggesting that Elon Musk is buying McDonald’s and CNN following Donald Trump’s election win are, in fact, baseless. The speculation originated from satirical posts on social media, which lack any factual basis. Neither Musk nor representatives from McDonald’s or CNN have announced any such acquisition plans.
The rumors took off after a Facebook post on October 30 claimed that Musk “officially announced” his intent to purchase McDonald’s, while another claimed he was eyeing CNN for a $3 billion buyout to “fix the media.” In reality, these claims stem from satire, with no supporting evidence. Platforms like Meta have flagged the posts as part of ongoing efforts to combat misinformation.
While Musk and McDonald’s previously engaged in playful Twitter exchanges over Dogecoin back in 2022, this was simply in jest. As for the rumors linking Musk to Trump’s administration, these also appear to be exaggerated, though Musk and other high-profile entrepreneurs like Vivek Ramaswamy are being touted as allies for Trump’s pro-business agenda.