Amid the buzz following Donald Trump’s recent election win, a viral claim has surfaced on social media: Elon Musk is buying McDonald's and CNN. The rumour, heavily shared across platforms, suggests Musk’s interest in the fast-food giant and CNN aligns with his alleged mission to "fix the media," often accused of Democratic leanings. Additionally, Musk, known for his support of Trump and the Republican Party, is joining Trump's administration.
Leading up to the 2024 presidential election, topics like immigration and abortion dominated debates between Kamala Harris and Trump. McDonald's surprisingly entered the conversation when Harris claimed she worked there, while Trump took to campaigning from one of its outlets. Musk, meanwhile, is rumoured to be diving into fast food, supposedly setting his sights on McDonald's.
A viral video on Facebook from October 30 claims, “Musk has officially announced: ‘I am buying McDonald’s.’” However, no official statement from Musk or McDonald’s supports this. Meta has flagged the post as misinformation, as the video lacks credible evidence. The only known link between Musk and McDonald's dates back to 2022 when Musk jokingly tweeted he’d eat a Happy Meal on TV if McDonald’s accepted Dogecoin as payment. McDonald's replied humorously, but it was all in jest.
Another claim, that Musk would buy CNN for $3 billion, has been debunked as well. The rumour started on a satirical Facebook page called Gridiron Glory, which clearly labels its content as satire.
For now, the claims of Musk’s fast-food or media takeover remain just that—claims without proof.
