Trump says he will investigate NBC, MSNBC parent company if elected president

Former President Donald Trump said he would investigate Comcast, the parent company of NBC News and MSNBC, for their “Country Threatening Treason” if he’s elected president in 2024.

“They are almost all dishonest and corrupt, but Comcast, with its one-side and vicious coverage by NBC News, and in particular MSNBC, often and correctly referred to as MSDNC (Democrat National Committee!), should be investigated for its ’Country Threatening Treason,’” Mr. Trump wrote on Truth Social Sunday.

“I say up front, openly, and proudly that when I WIN the presidency of the United States, they and others of the LameStream Media will be thoroughly scrutinized for their knowingly dishonest and corrupt coverage of people, things, and events,” he wrote.

Mr. Trump has often referred to any news outlet or story he disagrees with as “fake news,” and it’s not clear who or what story led him to want to conduct this investigation.

“The Fake News Media should pay a big price for what they have done to our once great Country!” he wrote.

Last Sunday, the former president was a guest on NBC’s “Meet the Press” with Kristen Welker. At the end of the interview, he wished Ms. Welker “a lot of luck” and told her that she’s going to have “great success.”

The post garnered negative responses from those in the media and politics.

“Let’s just think about the last three days we’re at here,” political commentator Charlie Sykes said on MSNBC Monday. “Donald Trump mocked a disabled veteran, called for the execution of General Mark Milley, has called for the complete shutdown of the government unless they defund the prosecutions against him. He’s asked for all Senate Democrats to resign over the Menendez case. And, you know, he’s talking about using government power to retaliate and shut down NBC for criticizing him.”

White House spokesperson Andrew Bates said that Mr. Trump’s threat to investigate Comcast is “outrageous.”

“President Biden swore an oath to uphold our Constitution and protect American Democracy,” he said in a statement. ” Freedom of the press is a fundamental Constitutional right. To abuse presidential power and violate the Constitutional rights of reporters would be an outrageous attack on our democracy and the rule of law. Presidents must always defend Americans’ freedoms — never trample on them for selfish, small, and dangerous political purposes.”