Best printers for Home

Best Mixer Grinder

Best wired Earphones

Best 43 Inch TV in India

Best Wi Fi Routers

Best Home Theatre in India

Smart Watch under 5000

Best Laptops for Education

Best Laptop for Students

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Donald Trump threatened to prosecute Google "at the maximum levels" if he's elected president.</li><li>Trump accused Google of favoring rival Kamala Harris over him in search results.</li></ul>Former President Donald Trump is no stranger to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-seriously-hates-mark-zuckerberg-2024-7">lashing out at companies</a> — and now he's taking aim at Google.In a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/113210776247146944">post on Truth Social</a> on Friday, the Republican presidential nominee accused Google of being biased toward his Democratic opponent Kamala Harris in search results.And Trump threatened to order the Justice Department to prosecute the tech giant if he wins in November.Trump alleged that Google "illegally used a system of only revealing and displaying bad stories about Donald J. Trump" while surfacing good stories about Harris."Hopefully the Justice Department will criminally prosecute them for this blatant Interference of Elections," the post continued. "If not, and subject to the Laws of our Country, I will request their prosecution, at the maximum levels, when I win the Election, and become President of the United States!"A representative for Trump did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider seeking the source of Trump's allegations.But Trump's post may have been referencing a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/free-speech/gabriela-pariseau/2024/09/25/google-same-tricks-search-giant-pushes-wildly-biased">recent report published this week</a> from Free Speech America researchers at the conservative media watchdog group, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.mrc.org/">Media Research Center</a>. In the report, the group said it conducted Google searches on September 6 for the terms "donald trump presidential race 2024" and "kamala harris presidential race 2024." The group said Trump's campaign website appeared sixth in search results, while Harris' appeared third in "organic search results."But in a statement shared with BI, Google refuted the purported findings from the Media Research Center's report."Both campaign websites consistently appear at the top of Search for relevant and common search queries," the statement from Google reads. "This report looked at a single rare search term on a single day a few weeks ago, and even for that search, both candidates' websites ranked in the top results on Google.""Queries about the presidential election or candidates generally surface links to constantly changing news articles reflecting what's on the web - so they change all the time," a spokesperson for Google added in an email to BI. "We absolutely do not manipulate Search results to favor any candidate."This isn't the first time Trump has taken a swipe at Google. Just last month, the former president lodged another hefty accusation against the tech giant."Google is a Crooked, Election Interference Machine," Trump <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/112977308685981997">wrote on Truth Social</a> in August. "Totally Illegal, they will pay a big price for what they are doing!" In this post, Trump linked to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://townhall.com/tipsheet/rebeccadowns/2024/08/16/rep-lance-gooden-demands-answers-from-google-on-harris-campaign-manipulating-headlines-n2643505">an article from conservative outlet Townhall</a>, which detailed an <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.axios.com/2024/08/13/harris-campaign-google-poltical-ads-news-publishers">Axios report</a> that found the Harris-Walz campaign had edited news headlines in Google search ads to make it look like major outlets were favoring the Democratic candidate.<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.axios.com/2024/08/14/trump-harris-edit-headlines-google-ads">Axios reported</a> at the time that the Harris campaign's ads were not breaking any rules, and did not violate Google's policies.In addition to threats against Google, Trump has levied warnings to other companies and CEOs who crossed him.Trump has had a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-comments-about-facebook-mark-zuckerberg-feud-history-2024-7#trump-has-said-he-wouldve-banned-facebook-while-president-but-zuckerberg-kept-calling-him-3">long-standing feud</a> with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, even threatening in July to send "ZUCKERBUCKS" to prison in a post that repeated Trump's false claims of election fraud.And on Monday, Trump threatened to slap John Deere with a 200% tariff if it moved some manufacturing jobs to Mexico — an economic warning that economists said <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-tariff-threat-john-deere-economists-baffled-2024-9">made no sense</a>.Representatives for the Harris campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

Google is the latest company to land in Donald Trump's crosshairs 

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Jeff Bezos congratulated Donald Trump on winning the presidential election.</li><li>They've traded many barbs over the years.</li></ul>On Wednesday, Jeff Bezos <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jeff-bezos-congratulates-donald-trump-election-win-washington-post-2024-11">congratulated Donald Trump</a> on "an extraordinary political comeback and decisive victory" in the 2024 presidential election, wishing the president-elect "all success in leading and uniting the America we all love."Following the assassination attempt on Trump at a Pennsylvania rally in July 2024, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jeff-bezos-offers-condolences-to-trump-rally-shooting-feud-2024-7">Bezos broke a hiatus of nearly nine months on X</a>, formerly known as Twitter, to write, "Our former President showed tremendous grace and courage under literal fire tonight. So thankful for his safety and so sad for the victims and their families."The billionaire Amazon founder and Trump have been contentious at times. In 2016, Bezos said Trump's wish to lock up Hillary Clinton or refuse to accept a loss in that election <a target="_blank" rel="" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jeff-bezos-donald-trump-eroding-our-democracy-2016-10">"erodes our democracy around the edges."</a>"One of the things that makes this country as amazing as it is, we are allowed to criticize and scrutinize our elected leaders," Bezos said at the time."An appropriate thing for a presidential candidate to do is say, 'I am running for the highest office in the world, please scrutinize me,'" he continued. "That's not what we've seen. To try and chill the media and threaten retribution and retaliation, which is what he's done in a number of cases, it just isn't appropriate."Following Trump's election that year, <a target="_blank" rel="" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/heres-how-jeff-bezos-introduced-himself-to-trump-2016-12">Bezos was one of several tech leaders who met with the president-elect</a> in a summit Bezos later described as "very productive." Introducing himself in the meeting, Bezos added that he was "super excited about the possibilities this could be the innovation administration."<h2 id="49a02ccc-4bee-4ce3-998e-48d62b0eeda7">Trump and Amazon</h2>While campaigning for the 2016 presidential election, <a target="_blank" rel="" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-says-amazon-will-have-such-problems-2016-2">Trump said Amazon would have "such problems" if he became president</a>.In 2017, he <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://x.com/realDonaldTrump/status/897763049226084352">tweeted</a> that the company was "doing great damage to tax paying retailers" and that "towns, cities and states throughout the U.S. are being hurt."He repeated similar sentiments the following year, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-amazon-war-trump-blasts-amazon-for-post-office-retail-effect-2018-4">saying that</a><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-amazon-war-trump-blasts-amazon-for-post-office-retail-effect-2018-4"> Amazon was pushing smaller retailers out of business</a>.Trump has also said on multiple occasions that <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-war-against-amazon-usps-postal-service-2017-12">Amazon should be paying more for USPS deliveries</a>."Why is the United States Post Office, which is losing many billions of dollars a year, while charging Amazon and others so little to deliver their packages, making Amazon richer and the Post Office dumber and poorer?" <a target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow" href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/946728546633953285">he tweeted in 2017</a>. "Should be charging MUCH MORE!"In 2019, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jedi-amazon-donald-trump-jeff-bezos-pentagon-billion-contract-complaint-2019-12">Amazon filed a federal complaint challenging the Department of Defense's decision</a> to award Microsoft a $10 billion contract to move sensitive data to a cloud server rather than Amazon Web Services.The company said in the complaint that Trump swayed the decision to "pursue his own personal and political ends" and to harm Bezos, "his perceived political enemy." Amazon said Trump made "repeated public and behind-the-scenes attacks" about the company and Bezos, who was still CEO at the time.In 2021, the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jedi-aws-microsoft-play-nice-to-win-new-pentagon-contract-2021-7">DoD</a><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jedi-aws-microsoft-play-nice-to-win-new-pentagon-contract-2021-7"> canceled the contract with Microsoft</a> and announced a multi-vendor contract to seek proposals from Microsoft and AWS as "the only Cloud Service Providers (CSPs) capable of meeting the Department's requirements."<h2 id="f18b23a9-7872-4177-903b-ea898bde2b31">Trump and The Washington Post</h2>Trump has repeatedly criticized <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/washington-post-donald-trump-kamala-harris-endorsement-bezos-why-matters-2024-10">The Washington Post</a>, which Bezos owns.In 2019, Trump bashed Bezos and the Post as he appeared to talk about Bezos' divorce from <a target="_blank" rel="" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jeff-bezos-wife">MacKenzie Scott.</a>"So sorry to hear the news about Jeff Bozo being taken down by a competitor whose reporting, I understand, is far more accurate than the reporting in his lobbyist newspaper, the Amazon Washington Post," Trump wrote on X. "Hopefully the paper will soon be placed in better &amp; more responsible hands!"For the first time in decades, the newspaper didn't publish an endorsement of a presidential candidate in 2024. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jeff-bezos-owned-washington-post-wont-endorse-presidential-candidate-2024-10">Bezos reportedly intervened to block an endorsement of Kamala Harris</a> that had already been drafted.<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jeff-bezos-washington-post-endorsement-presidential-media-trust-why-2024-10">Bezos later wrote an op-ed defending the newspaper's decision to decline to endorse,</a> saying endorsements "create a perception of bias" and "do nothing to tip the scales of an election."

The history of Jeff Bezos and Donald Trump's relationship

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Tesla stock surged 12% in premarket trading following Trump's election victory.</li><li>Elon Musk has been an outspoken supporter of Trump, spending months campaigning for him.</li></ul><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-won-election-what-that-means-for-elon-musk-2024-11">Elon Musk's big bet</a> on Donald Trump is already paying off for Tesla.The EV's stock surged 12% in premarket trading and is poised to open at its highest level in more than a year following the election result.<a target="_blank" rel=" nofollow" class="" href="https://x.com/FoxNews/status/1854053633198825482">Fox News</a> called the presidential race for Trump early Wednesday morning. A little under four hours later, projections from <a target="_blank" rel=" nofollow" class="" href="https://x.com/CNN/status/1854109735076676021">CNN</a> and other news organizations put Trump over the 270 Electoral College votes needed to win the presidency.Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives called Trump's victory a "homerun for Tesla.""Elon Musk's status as Trump's ally from the business community hasn't gone unnoticed by investors who have bid up shares in Tesla by 3% in pre-market trading on the election news," he said.Musk has been an outspoken supporter of Trump during the election. The billionaire has spent the last few months campaigning for the president-elect, even joining him onstage at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.In his victory speech early Wednesday, Trump paid tribute to Musk's efforts, calling him a "super genius" and a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-praises-elon-musk-a-star-is-born-2024-11">"new star."</a>Gene Munster, the managing partner at Deepwater Asset Management, said Tesla's stock surge was based on an emotional response from investors and their confidence in the EV company's CEO."That emotion is Elon made a big bet and was right. This gives investors confidence that his next big bet has a greater potential to succeed," Munster <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://x.com/munster_gene/status/1854132728998031598">said in a post on X on Wednesday.</a><h2 id="bb765168-eacb-44bd-a20d-16d2c4933cad">Trump's win an 'overall negative' for EV industry</h2>Despite the surge in Tesla shares, Trump's victory could be bad news for the wider EV market.Ives said the Trump presidency could be an "overall negative" for the EV industry, citing the possibility that the Trump administration could withdraw tax incentives and rebates for manufacturers.However, Ives said it could be a "huge positive" for Tesla due to the company's scale and market position."Tesla has the scale and scope that is unmatched in the EV industry and this dynamic could give Musk and Tesla a clear competitive advantage in a non-EV subsidy environment, coupled by likely higher China tariffs that would continue to push away cheaper Chinese EV players (<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnbc.com/quotes/BYDDF/">BYD</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnbc.com/quotes/NIO/">Nio</a>, etc.) from flooding the U.S. market over the coming years," Ives said in a note.Tesla has been facing fierce competition in China, with rivals rolling out their own EVs at lower prices.China-based BYD has been Tesla's <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tesla-q4-sales-less-than-china-byd-2024-1">main competitor in the region, </a>taking the title of the world's top seller of electric cars from Musk's company at the beginning of the year.Earlier this month, BYD <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-byd-is-beating-tesla-ev-rivals-china-2024-11#:~:text=BYD%20has%20just%20notched%20another,and%20is%20eyeing%20global%20expansion.">scored another win when its quarterly </a>revenues outstripped Tesla's for the first time.BYD recorded revenues of 201.1 billion yuan ($28.2 billion) in the three months to September 30, up 24% from the same quarter last year. <a target="_blank" rel="" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tesla-stock-tsla-earnings-call-report-live-updates-2024-10">Tesla posted sales of $25.2 billion</a> over the same period.Representatives for Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider, made outside normal working hours.

Donald Trump's election victory is a 'home run' for Tesla

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="19918985" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Donald-Trump" source="keywords">Donald Trump</keyword> won the election with the help of personalities like <keyword id="20341465" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Joe-Rogan" source="keywords">Joe Rogan</keyword>.</li><li>Rogan is a podcaster, right? Well, yes, but he's also a YouTuber.</li></ul><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-joe-rogan-tony-hinchcliffe-rally-election-campaign-2024-10">Podcasts played a huge role in getting Donald Trump re-elected</a> this week. Right? Or maybe it was Twitter. Or TikTok. Could be all of them. And it could also be that people interested in those mediums and platforms have reasons to want to believe they were important. But if you're going to look at the way the internet played a role in the election and you're not talking about YouTube, you're doing it wrong. So, once again: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/youtube-valuation-mrbeast-how-much-worth-2024-3">YouTube is massive</a> — so massive <a target="_blank" href="https://abc.xyz/assets/71/a5/78197a7540c987f13d247728a371/2024q3-alphabet-earnings-release.pdf">it generated $50 billion in revenue over the last year</a>, with the majority of that coming from advertising. Advertisers are spending that money because that's where the eyeballs are. And certainly, some of those eyeballs consumed a lot of political/election content over the last year. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/fact-sheet/social-media-and-news-fact-sheet/">Pew Research</a> says 32% of American adults regularly get their news from YouTube — more than any other social media platform except for Facebook, at 33%. And I'm very confident — based on my non-scientific poll of my teenage sons, who inhale YouTube — that those numbers are way, way bigger for young people. What do people who watch political stuff watch on YouTube? In some cases, it's just another version of TV: Fox News reportedly drew as many as 1.1 million concurrent viewers for its election-day livestream on YouTube. That was about 10% of its conventional TV audience, but still notable for a platform that skews very young. Overall, YouTube viewers consumed 67 million hours of live streams on Election Day, per <a target="_blank" href="https://fortune.com/2024/11/06/youtube-election-news-trump-harris-twitch-rumble-stream-fox-nbc/">Streams Charts</a>. But what was most interesting about the election was the way the Trump campaign spent the summer embracing YouTube personalities. Starting with people you've heard of, like Joe Rogan, down to ones you may have never heard of before this year, like the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/FULLSENDPODCAST">Nelk Boys</a>. Wait a minute! I can hear you saying. Isn't Joe Rogan a podcaster? Absolutely. But Rogan, like many other creators/influencers/personalities, creates content that lives on multiple platforms at the same time. You can listen to his <keyword id="20677488" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="podcasts" source="keywords">podcasts</keyword> on Spotify, but you can listen to them — and watch them — on YouTube. And that happens way more often than you might think. <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.edisonresearch.com/youtube-is-the-preferred-podcast-listening-service/">Edison Research</a> says YouTube — including both regular, free YouTube and YouTube's paid YouTube Music service — is the most popular way for people to listen to (or watch) podcasts. You can see it in some of the numbers. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBMoPUAeLnY">Rogan's October interview with Trump</a> has drawn a staggering 47 million views (note: Don't try comparing this to a TV rating, since YouTube reportedly counts a "view" as 30 seconds of watching — and someone who watches for a bit, stops and comes back to the same video later in the day, will count as a second view). <a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRyyTAs1XY8">The one he did with JD Vance</a> this month is now above 15 million. But even <a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/@joerogan">a standard-issue Rogan interview</a> can generate 2 million views or more. And there is a universe of conservative podcasts, or podcasts that aren't political but are open to conservative guests that do big numbers on YouTube, from former Fox hosts Tucker Carlson and Megyn Kelly to former reality TV star Theo Von. Trump visited all of them. You can also find bits of their shows on places like Instagram and TikTok. But they focus their efforts on YouTube, for the reasons many creators do. For starters, you can find a big audience there. And YouTube's algorithmic discovery mechanism means creators can get themselves in front of audiences that weren't looking for them. Podcast audiences, by contrast, grow slowly — but tend to stick around once they connect with someone they like, says Chris Balfe, CEO of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.redseatventures.com/clients">Red Seat Ventures</a>, a company that helps the likes of Carlson, Kelly and The Free Press' Bari Weiss sell ads for their shows. And, unlike platforms like Instagram and TikTok — podcasters can get a meaningful share of the <keyword id="20015770" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="advertising-revenue" source="keywords">advertising revenue</keyword> generated by their YouTube audiences. (There are also liberal/left podcasters/YouTubers, like Crooked Media, the company behind Pod Save America. But there aren't nearly as many of them, and they don't have the same kind of reach, as journalist <a target="_blank" href="https://www.usermag.co/p/why-democrats-wont-build-their-own">Taylor Lorenz notes</a>.) So should we be calling these folks podcasters? Or YouTubers? Yes, says Balfe. "I think they're the same thing. We should think about it as a podcast plus a <keyword id="23944857" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="YouTube-election" source="keywords">YouTube election</keyword>," he says. "Or a <keyword id="20437786" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="creator-economy" source="keywords">creator economy</keyword> election. The best-performing talents do well everywhere." Correction: November 11, 2024 — Streams Charts is the name of the company that tallied Election Day YouTube live-stream viewing, not Stream Charts.

Let's call it the YouTube election

<ul class="summary-list"><li><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mark-zuckerberg">Mark Zuckerberg</a> played it safe this election — deemphasizing politics on Meta's platforms.</li><li>Although Donald Trump has said he would like to put Zuckerberg in jail, that's highly unlikely.</li></ul>Mark Zuckerberg has been burned before. In the elections of 2016 and 2020, Facebook came under intense scrutiny. (And it's still going on: There was a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/live.aspx">Supreme Court hearing</a> Wednesday over lingering issues from the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mark-zuckerberg-deposition-sec-facebook-user-data-cambridge-analytica-2022-12">Cambridge Analytica scandal</a>.)In 2024, Zuckerberg and Meta played it safe by trying to stay as far away from the election as possible. No more elaborate efforts to register voters on Facebook. No more <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-attacks-mark-zuckerberg-in-an-angry-statement-2021-10">$400 million donations to get-out-the-vote efforts</a> like in 2020. No more promoting news pages or Facebook Groups that might do things like organize a large and dangerous rally.Meta nipped the whole thing in the bud by <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/threads-twitter-politics-not-the-focus-adam-mosseri-2023-7">tamping down news and political content</a> recommendations across Facebook, Threads, and Instagram. Sure, this was at least in part because user feedback told them we all wanted less political content — but it also happened to be quite convenient for a company that wanted out of the nightmare of continuous controversies anyway.The strategy paid off: On Tuesday, there's little talk of Meta's role in the election. Zuckerberg's would-be grappling partner, Elon Musk, did the exact opposite: He went all-in on Trump with both <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-twitter-donald-trump-wealth-campaign-influence-2024-11">his own money and the heft of his social platform</a>. That turned out well for Musk — but it was a risk.So Meta made it through the election without half the country convinced that it helped cause the result. Meanwhile, Zuckerberg is unlikely to be dragged in front of Congress to answer questions about his platform's perceived bias.What a Trump administration means for Meta, well, we'll see. There are some <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-presidency-affect-big-tech-2024-11">potential downsides for Big Tech</a> — tariffs could hurt parts of their businesses, for example. And Meta is already facing a variety of legal battles with states. But any possible outcomes — good or bad — are more in the realm of normal ups and downs, not existential reckonings or crises. For Meta, it'll likely be broadly business as usual.As far as <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-comments-about-facebook-mark-zuckerberg-feud-history-2024-7">Trump's threat to jail Zuckerberg</a>? I'll eat my hat and Trump's if that actually happens. It was part of the rhetoric from Trump grumbling about the 2020 election outcome. Now that he's won in a clear and decisive way, I think he'll move on.And Zuckerberg, like some other CEOs, seems to have figured out the most effective way to manage Trump: deal with him privately — <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-ceo-mark-zuckerberg-had-undisclosed-dinner-donald-trump-2019-11">Zuckerberg met with Trump</a> at an undisclosed dinner in 2019 — and praise him publicly. After the assassination attempt on Trump in July, Zuckerberg referred to Trump as looking "badass."On Wednesday, Zuckerberg continued to play it safe. He posted a message to Threads congratulating Trump on his win. But he was apparently playing it truly safe: He didn't post his message until two hours after <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/business-leaders-react-donald-trump-winning-election-silicon-valley-2024-11">Jeff Bezos posted a congratulations message</a> of his own.

Mark Zuckerberg played it safe with Donald Trump this election. That strategy worked.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Elon Musk's X has tapped Mahmoud Reza Banki to serve as the platform's chief financial officer.</li><li>Banki, a former Tubi executive, received a presidential pardon from Donald Trump in 2021.</li></ul><a target="_blank" rel="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk">Elon Musk's</a> X has appointed Mahmoud Reza Banki, a former Tubi executive who received a presidential pardon from Donald Trump, as the platform's new chief financial officer.Banki, who previously held the title of chief financial officer and chief strategy officer at streaming service Tubi from 2017 to July 2023, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrezabanki/">updated his LinkedIn profile </a>to reflect the new position.The former Tubi executive is X's first public CFO. Current and former employees told <a target="_blank" href="https://www.wsj.com/tech/musks-x-names-mahmoud-reza-banki-cfo-65538482">The Wall Street Journal,</a> which first reported the news, that other executives had helped to fill the role in the two years since Musk bought the platform for $44 billion.Representatives for X did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider, made outside normal working hours.<h2 id="220e3692-5d72-4976-8a08-c7db2b99abb8">Presidential pardon</h2>Banki received a pardon from President Trump on January 19, 2021.He was pardoned for a case connected to 2010 charges of making false statements. He also faced charges related to sanctions violations against Iran, which were later overturned.Banki spent almost two years in prison before he was released in November 2011 following a successful appeal.In a statement released following the pardon, the Trump administration said: "In 2010, Dr. Banki was charged with monetary violations of Iranian sanctions and making false statements.""However, the felony charges for making false statements have prevented Dr. Banki from resuming a full life. In the years since his conviction, Dr. Banki has dedicated himself to his community and maintained a sincere love and respect for the United States," the White <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefings-statements/statement-press-secretary-regarding-executive-grants-clemency-012021/">House said in the statement.</a>Banki was among 73 individuals who were granted pardons in the final days of Trump's administration. An additional 70 individuals also had their sentences commuted.Banki's <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://rezastory.com/pardon/">website</a> states he left postwar Iran in the 1990s and traveled to the US at the age of 18 "on the promise of the American dream and to have a shot at a better life."The website adds that he graduated from UC Berkeley with a double major and Princeton with a Ph.D. before joining McKinsey &amp; Company in New York City in 2005.Referring to the presidential pardon, his website states: "Joy at the outcome. Relief for justice at last. Sadness of the utter pain, distress, and hopelessness throughout. Exhaustion of the journey. And ultimately thankful to have a grave weight off my shoulders."<h2 id="032f3435-2fc6-4b2b-ad49-f75165f8fbad">X's financial issues</h2>Banki is joining the X at a critical time for the platform.Since Musk took control of the platform in 2022, the company has faced financial challenges, including a drop in advertising revenue. Some major brands have pulled their content from X, and the platform has struggled to win back advertisers.In a September report, market <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-x-advertisers-plan-to-pull-back-spending-survey-2024-9">research firm Kantar found</a> that more than a quarter — or 26% — of advertisers surveyed planned to cut their spending in 2025.The value of X has also fallen sharply.In January, asset manager Fidelity said X had lost over 71% of its value since Musk acquired it in October 2022.The Wall Street Journal reported in August that Musk's Twitter purchase had ended up being the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-x-twitter-debt-financing-banks-2008-financial-crisis-2024-8">worst buyout financing deal for </a>banks since the 2008 recession.The $13 billion in loans Musk took out have been stuck on banks' balance sheets, the Journal reported.Musk's vision for X also includes developing a range of financial features that could allow users to manage their finances entirely on the platform. The billionaire plans to turn X into an "everything app," similar to WeChat.

X's new CFO received a presidential pardon from Donald Trump     

<ul class="summary-list"><li>A comedian told a Trump rally on Sunday that <keyword id="20312785" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Puerto-Rico" source="keywords">Puerto Rico</keyword> is "a floating island of garbage."</li><li>Puerto Rican celebrities, including <keyword id="19996431" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Jennifer-Lopez" source="keywords">Jennifer Lopez</keyword>, responded by showing support for <keyword id="20307089" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Kamala-Harris" source="keywords">Kamala Harris</keyword>.</li></ul>Puerto Rican celebrities like Jennifer Lopez and <keyword id="20229227" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ricky-Martin" source="keywords">Ricky Martin</keyword> voiced support for Kamala Harris after the island became a focal point of a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-3-hours-late-to-own-rally-joe-rogan-interview-2024-10">Donald Trump rally</a>. Tony Hinchcliffe, a speaker at Trump's Sunday rally at Madison Square Garden in New York City, said: "I don't know if you guys know this, but there's literally a floating island of garbage in the middle of the ocean right now. I think it's called Puerto Rico." The comment angered Puerto Rican celebrities. Luis Fonsi, the singer behind the 2017 hit "Despacito," wrote on his Instagram story: "It's ok to have different views, and I respect those who think different than me…. but going down this RACIST path ain't it." He said: "We are not ok with this constant hate. It's been abudantly clear that these people have no respect for us and yet they want our vote." Martin shared the video on his story and captioned it in Spanish: "This is what they think of us." On their Instagram stories, Fonsi, Lopez, and Martin shared a video of Harris outlining her plan to support Puerto Rico if she were elected, and urged their followers to vote for the Democratic nominee. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bad-bunny-ai-generated-tiktok-song-nostalgia-voice-rant-2023-11">Bad Bunny</a>, a rapper and singer, reshared the same video on his story four times in a row without any captions. None of these celebrities were great Republican allies before. Still, high-profile interventions can energize often-apathetic voters to turn out. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/celebrity-endorsements-impact-on-elections/">CBS News</a> reported in September that more than 400,000 users visited the <a target="_blank" href="http://vote.gov">vote.gov</a> voter registration website the day after<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/taylor-swift-kamala-harris-endorsement-criticism-explained-2024-9"> Taylor Swift endorsed Harris</a>on Instagram. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/market-impact-presidential-election-scenarios-trump-harris-stocks-bonds-crypto-2024-10" target="_blank">Harris</a>' Instagram account shared the clip about her plan earlier on Sunday. In the video, she accuses Trump of blocking aid after <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-called-puerto-rico-a-place-with-absolutely-no-hope-book-2022-10" target="_blank">two hurricanes hit Puerto Rico</a> in the span of two weeks in 2017. Hurricane Maria, one of the storms, caused over $90 billion in damage, a historic blackout, and the deaths of an estimated 2,975 people in Puerto Rico. Trump said in 2018 that his administration's response to the hurricanes was "an incredible, unsung success," but it was widely criticized at the time. In 2021, a report by the Department of Housing and Urban Development <a target="_blank" href="https://www.hudoig.gov/sites/default/files/2021-04/HUD%20OIG%20Final%20Report_2019SU008945I.pdf">Office of Inspector General</a> found that $20 billion in aid the department intended to send to Puerto Rico was delayed due to interagency reviews under the Trump administration. The investigators did not say why these reviews were implemented. It's not the first time Trump and his allies have angered celebrities from a Caribbean community. Last month, high-profile Haitians including Wyclef Jean, Rep. Shelia Cherfilus-McCormick, the first Haitian-American in Congress, and Real Housewives of Beverly Hills personality Garcelle Beauvais spoke out after Trump made the false claim that Haitian migrants in Springfield, Ohio, were killing and eating pets. Correction: October 28, 2024 — An earlier version of this story misstated the statistics about hurricanes Irma and Maria. The details relate to Maria only, not both storms.

Puerto Rican stars like Jennifer Lopez and Ricky Martin spoke up for Harris after Trump's rally made the island a punching bag

<ul class="summary-list"><li><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a> visited a McDonald's in Pennsylvania on Sunday.</li><li>It was the latest in a long tradition of presidential candidates invoking the fast-food chain.</li></ul><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-harris-mcdonalds-fry-cook-economy-election-2024-10">Donald Trump's Sunday visit to a McDonald's</a> restaurant shows that presidential candidates still view the fast-food chain as a major opportunity to appear relatable to voters.Trump is far from the first candidate to invoke the Golden Arches during their campaign. <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/presidents-and-presidential-candidates-eating-fast-food/3/">Mitt Romney handed out fries</a> from the chain to reporters during his run for president in 2012. Bill Clinton's habit of stopping at an Arkansas McDonald's while out on his morning jogs gained attention during his 1992 presidential run — and even inspired a Saturday Night Live skit.On Sunday, former President Trump reportedly served fries and handed them out at the drive-thru window of McDonald's in Feasterville, Pennsylvania, for about 15 minutes. The location was closed for regular business during his visit, according to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/10/20/trump-mcdonalds-minimum-wage/">the Washington Post</a>. Visitors to the drive-thru had to be screened by the Secret Service and didn't get to choose what Trump handed them, the Post reported.Part of the reason Trump was rolling up his sleeves and getting frying is because his opponent Kamala Harris has spoken about working at McDonald's in 1983 to earn money as a college student (something that Trump and his team have repeatedly said didn't happen, without providing any evidence).In response, Harris' campaign has confirmed her early job at McDonald's — and questioned Trump's familiarity with the middle class. "He can't understand what it's like to have a summer job because he was handed millions on a silver platter, only to blow it," Harris campaign spokesperson Ian Sams told BI on Sunday in response to Trump's appearance.McDonald's role as an employer has been a key part of people's references to the chain. Candidates like Harris and business leaders like Jeff Bezos have often mentioned their <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/politicians-ceo-successful-people-who-worked-at-mcdonalds">work at McDonald's</a> as a formative experience. The chain says that <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://corporate.mcdonalds.com/corpmcd/best-first-job.html">one in eight</a> Americans has worked at one of its restaurants at some point in their lives."When I was flippin' burgers at McDonald's, when I was standing in front of that big Hobart machine washing dishes or waiting tables, I never thought of myself as stuck in some station in life," Paul Ryan said when he was Mitt Romney's vice presidential nominee in 2012. <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/paul-ryan-colorado-supporters-drive-truck-used-mcdonald-215354358.html">Ryan mentioned</a> his McDonald's experience alongside his love of camping and truck ownership in a bid to relate to middle-income Americans during that campaign.Derek Giacomantonio, the franchisee who owns and operates the McDonald's restaurant where Trump appeared, said in a statement that a job at McDonald's is "more than burgers and fries, but a meaningful pathway to opportunity."It also remains one of the most-visited retail establishments in America. About 87% of US households visited the chain at least once in the 12 months to June 30, according to data provider Numerator. McDonald's has about 13,500 locations in the US, according to the company's latest annual filing with the SEC.Still, McDonald's said it is "not a political brand," according to a Sunday memo shared internally and confirmed by a person familiar with the communication.The company "does not endorse candidates for elected office and that remains true in this race for the next president," the memo reads. "We are not red or blue — we are golden."In the run-up to the election, it would probably be unwise for the company to pick a side in the hotly contested race. It has lost customers who found the chain too expensive or who have chosen to eat at competing restaurants, which has spurred it to offer <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mcdonalds-promises-more-value-menu-deals-to-win-back-customers-2024-7">a </a><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mcdonalds-promises-more-value-menu-deals-to-win-back-customers-2024-7">$5 meal to lure back Americans</a>. And <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mcdonalds-fast-food-companies-have-gen-z-problem-2024-8">Gen Z diners are less likely to see fast food</a> as a good deal than older generations, a survey earlier this year from Morning Consult found.

McDonald's is the latest election battleground for Trump and Harris

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Former first lady Melania Trump has remained an enigmatic figure since Donald Trump entered politics.</li><li>Born in Slovenia, she moved to the US for her modeling career and became a naturalized citizen.</li></ul>Former first lady Melania Trump has remained an enigmatic figure since her husband, former President Donald Trump, launched his political career.Born in Slovenia, she moved to the US to pursue modeling and made history as the first naturalized citizen to become first lady. During her time in the White House, she focused on children's health and well-being with her <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/melania-trump-be-best-campaign-details-2018-5">Be Best</a> initiative and sparked controversy with her fashion statements.A self-described "private person," she has rarely campaigned or granted interviews.Here's a look at Melania Trump's life, career, and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-melania-stormy-daniels-affairs-marriages-timeline-2018-3">marriage to Donald Trump</a>.<h2 id="90192e5d-5ca1-4083-a84e-9bdc2fd369e0">Melania Trump's early life and upbringing</h2>Melania Trump, 54, was born Melanija Knavs on April 26, 1970, in Novo Mesto, Slovenia, which was then part of Yugoslavia. Her mother, Amalija Knavs, worked in the fashion industry as a patternmaker at a textile factory. Her father, Viktor Knavs, was a car salesman. She has one sister, Ines Knauss, and a half-brother, Denis Cigelnjak.<div type="image" title="Melania Trump's childhood home in Sevnica, Slovenia." height="683" width="1024" msid="113883421" hostid="261" sizebytes="139624"></div>Melania Trump has said that she speaks English, Italian, French, and German in addition to her native Slovenian.<h2 id="80d16b8c-8bfb-49fb-bfa0-b0593462b604">Melania Trump's modeling career</h2>At 5 feet 11 inches tall, Melania Trump was scouted by photographer Stane Jerko in Slovenia in 1987. She dropped out of architecture school to pursue modeling, appearing on runways in Paris and Milan before moving to the US on a tourist visa in 1996.Melania Trump posed nude for photos that appeared in a French edition of GQ in 1996. The New York Post resurfaced the photos in 2016 during <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/melania-trump-book-claims-roger-stone-behind-leaked-nudes-2019-12">Donald Trump's presidential campaign</a>. She also posed nude on Donald Trump's Boeing 727 private plane for GQ in 2000. That same year, she appeared in the swimsuit issue of Sports Illustrated.<div type="image" title="Melania Trump poses in front of the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue." height="874" width="1165" msid="113883415" hostid="261" sizebytes="76730"></div>In a post on X in 2024, Melania Trump said that she stands proudly behind her <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/melania-trump-nude-modeling-honor-bodies-memoir-2024-9">nude modeling work</a>, calling it a "celebration of the human form.""Throughout history, master artists have revered the human shape, evoking profound emotions and admiration," she said. "We should honor our bodies and embrace the timeless tradition of using art as a powerful means of self-expression."<h2 id="3c9a5fc7-9e8e-46a3-a620-e7b209c1edd2">Melania Trump's citizenship and immigration</h2>Melania Trump became a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/melania-trump-immigrant-first-lady-speech-national-archives-2023-12">naturalized US citizen</a> in 2006 and is the first naturalized citizen to serve as first lady of the United States.Speaking at a naturalization ceremony at the National Archives in a rare public appearance in 2023, she recalled navigating a "labyrinth" of paperwork while obtaining her worker visa and becoming a US citizen.<div type="image" title="Melania Trump speaks at the National Archives" height="683" width="1024" msid="113883416" hostid="261" sizebytes="29192"></div>Melania Trump is the second first lady to be born outside the US. The first was Louisa Catherine Adams, the wife of President John Quincy Adams.<h2 id="8b5da627-c413-4b6c-b9e0-5ab233e59561">When Melania Trump met Donald Trump</h2><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/donald-melania-trump-relationship-timeline-2018-11">Melania and Donald Trump</a> met in 1998 when she was 28 years old at a party thrown by their mutual friend, Paolo Zampolli. At the time, Donald Trump was separated from his second wife, Marla Maples. Their divorce was finalized in 1999.The couple briefly broke up in 2000 but reconciled a few months later. Donald Trump proposed in 2004 with a 15-carat, $1.5 million engagement ring.<h2 id="54bf411f-9848-4517-880a-e66f0f7a9622">Melania Trump's marriage to Donald Trump</h2><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-family-weddings-photos-details-2022-11">Melania Trump and Donald Trump's wedding</a> took place on January 22, 2005.The ceremony was held at the Bethesda-by-the-Sea Episcopal Church in Palm Beach, Florida, and Donald Trump's <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/inside-trump-mar-a-lago-club-photos-2018-1">Mar-a-Lago club</a> hosted the reception. <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/first-ladies-wedding-dress-photos-2020-9">Melania Trump's wedding dress</a> was designed by Christian Dior and embellished with 1,500 crystals and pearls.They welcomed a son, Barron Trump, in 2006.<div type="image" title="Donald Trump and Melania Trump at Mar-a-Lago." height="715" width="1024" msid="113883417" hostid="261" sizebytes="74640"></div>Adult film star <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/who-is-stormy-daniels-porn-star-affair-donald-trump-2018-1">Stormy Daniels</a> said that she had an affair with Donald Trump after Melania Trump gave birth in 2006. In the first-ever criminal trial of a former US president, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-hush-money-trial-verdict-2024-5">Donald Trump was found guilty</a> on all 34 counts of falsifying business records to cover up a $130,000 hush-money payment made to Daniels 11 days before the 2016 election. Donald Trump has denied ever having an affair with Daniels.After The Wall Street Journal broke the news of the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-role-stormy-daniels-mcdougal-payments-michael-cohen-2018-11">alleged affair</a> in 2018, Melania Trump retreated from public appearances. She canceled a trip to Davos, Switzerland, that she was scheduled to make with Donald Trump and flew to Mar-a-Lago instead. She also did not acknowledge their wedding anniversary or <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/melania-trumps-stormy-daniels-valentines-day-silence-2018-2">Valentine's Day</a> on social media as she had in past years. Upon returning to the White House, the Trumps broke protocol by arriving separately to board <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/melania-donald-trump-break-tradition-following-affair-allegations-2018-2">Marine One</a>.<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/melania-humiliated-trump-affairs-former-aide-stormy-daniels-2023-4">Stephanie Winston Wolkoff</a>, who was friends with Melania Trump for 15 years, told Page Six that silence is the former first lady's "weapon of choice and her protective armor."<h2 id="28292c1c-d166-46fc-b23d-e6d2a08032ad">Melania Trump's time as first lady</h2>Melania Trump largely remained away from the campaign trail during Donald Trump's 2016 presidential run, but caused controversy when she appeared to copy parts of her speech at the Republican National Convention from <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/melania-trump-takes-center-stage-night-one-gop-convention-2016-7">Michelle Obama's 2008 Democratic National Convention speech</a>.She continued to keep a low profile when Donald Trump was elected to the White House, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/melania-barron-trump-white-house-2016-11">staying behind in New York City</a> with their son, Barron, so that he could finish the school year.As first lady, Melania Trump spearheaded Be Best, a campaign focused on promoting children's health and well-being, combating online bullying, and educating communities about opioid addiction. She also visited Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, and Egypt on a solo trip focused on children's health in 2018.<div type="image" title="Melania Trump speaks in the White House Rose Garden with a &quot;Be Best&quot; banner in the background." height="1382" width="2000" msid="113883422" hostid="261" sizebytes="55656"></div>She often appeared in sunglasses that obscured much of her face, sparking an unsubstantiated <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/melania-trump-secret-service-agent-body-double-conspiracy-2017-10">conspiracy theory</a> that she had a body double who would stand in for her at events. Melania Trump's then-spokesperson, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/melania-trump-stephanie-grisham-book-falling-out-2021-10">Stephanie Grisham</a>, debunked the theory, and Donald Trump slammed reports about the rumors, saying that "fake news" was "only getting more deranged with time!"Melania Trump occasionally wore outfits that proved controversial. In 2017, she wore a $51,500 Dolce &amp; Gabbana jacket at the G7 Summit in Italy that garnered criticism for its steep price tag. She was also criticized for wearing Manolo Blahnik pumps to board Marine One on her way to visit sites impacted by Hurricane Harvey.<div type="image" title="Melania Trump gets into an SUV wearing a green jacket with white writing on the back that reads, &quot;I really don't care, do U?&quot;" height="1000" width="1500" msid="113883419" hostid="261" sizebytes="113964"></div>In 2018, Melania Trump attracted more controversy when she flew to Texas to visit children at a government immigration facility while wearing a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/first-ladies-fashion-controversial-outfits-2021-10">Zara jacket that read "I really don't care, do U?"</a>Grisham told Business Insider at the time, "It's a jacket. There was no hidden message."Months later, Melania Trump told ABC News that the message was directed at "the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/melania-trump-says-she-may-be-the-most-bullied-person-in-the-world-2018-10">left-wing media</a> who are criticizing me," which she said may make her the "most bullied person in the world."<h2 id="c413b8db-6005-4bb6-af07-8302254e25e9">Melania Trump's post-White House life</h2>Donald Trump and Melania Trump skipped President Joe Biden's inauguration in 2021 and moved back to Mar-a-Lago. The Palm Beach club remained her primary residence, though she made occasional visits to Trump Tower in New York City.She attended <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-running-for-president-2024-campaign-announcement-2022-11">Donald Trump's presidential campaign launch</a> event in 2022, but did not join her husband at most campaign stops and rallies.<div type="image" title="Melania Trump enters Trump Tower wearing a black top and brown skirt, carrying a Chanel bag." height="1459" width="1945" msid="113883423" hostid="261" sizebytes="97100"></div>Donald Trump addressed <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/melania-refused-to-campaign-but-will-soon-according-to-trump-2023-9">Melania Trump's absence</a> on "Meet the Press" in 2023, telling moderator Kristen Welker, "She's a private person, a great person, a very confident person, and she loves our country very much.""And honestly, I like to keep her away from it," he said of the campaign trail. "It's so nasty and so mean."In 2023, she attended <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/melania-trump-attends-rosalynn-carter-funeral-former-first-ladies-2023-11">Rosalynn Carter's funeral</a> along with former first ladies Hillary Clinton, Laura Bush, and Michelle Obama.In a rare joint appearance, she accompanied Donald Trump to vote in Florida's 2024 primary election.<div type="image" title="Donald Trump and Melania Trump" height="1667" width="2500" msid="113883425" hostid="261" sizebytes="238076"></div>Melania Trump attended the final night of the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/republican-national-convention-rnc-biggest-moments-speeches-photos-2024-7">2024 Republican National Convention</a> and joined Donald Trump onstage after his address, but did not give a speech herself.She did not appear in the courtroom during <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jill-biden-and-melania-trump-have-different-trial-attendance-strategies-2024-6">Donald Trump's hush-money trial</a>.<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/melania-conspiracy-trump-assassination-attempt-book-promotion-video-2024-9">Melania Trump's memoir</a>, titled "Melania," is due to be released on October 8, 2024."As a private person who has often been the subject of public scrutiny and misrepresentation, I feel a responsibility to clarify the facts," she said in a post on X.<h2 id="53f3967d-b8b6-4432-905c-328d5ef25bb3">Donald Trump and Melania Trump's net worth</h2>Melania Trump's individual net worth is unclear, but Donald Trump was worth an estimated $3.9 billion as of October 2024, according to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/donald-trump/">Forbes</a>.

What to know about Melania Trump's life, career, and marriage to Donald Trump

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Donald Trump says he is willing to debate Kamala Harris on Fox News in Pennsylvania on September 4.</li><li>The debate would replace an ABC News debate originally scheduled with President Joe Biden.</li></ul>Former President Donald Trump has finally agreed to debate Vice President Kamala Harris, but only on friendly territory.Trump announced the potential debate, which would take place on September 4 and be hosted by Fox News, on his social media network, Truth Social. Trump said the debate would take place in Pennsylvania and Fox hosts Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum would moderate it.Trump said in the post that the debate would replace a previously scheduled debate with President Joe Biden on ABC News on September 10.Since Biden left the race and Kamala Harris became the presumptive nominee, the vice president has repeatedly challenged Trump to commit to the originally scheduled debate on ABC.The Harris campaign raised objections to the proposed new debate and accused Trump of "running scared" and backing out of the already scheduled ABC debate."I'll be there on September 10th, like he agreed to. I hope to see him there," Harris said on X in response to Trump's announcement.In the Truth Social post, Trump said that his pending lawsuit against the ABC Network and host George Stephanopoulos created a "conflict of interest," though he had previously agreed to debate Biden on the network.Trump filed a lawsuit against ABC earlier this year, accusing Stephanopoulos of defamation related to a March 10 broadcast in which the host said Trump had "raped" E. Jean Carroll, a former advice columnist, according to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/24/business/media/trump-lawsuit-abc-stephanopoulos.html">The New York Times</a>.A <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-e-jean-carroll-defamation-damages-sexual-abuse-2024-2">jury found that Trump sexually abused Carroll</a> and awarded her a sum of $2 million in damages in 2023. The jury did not find Trump liable for the specific charge of rape.

Donald Trump is willing to debate Kamala Harris — but only on Fox News

<ul class="summary-list"><li>It's not surprising to see Donald Trump pluck another Fox News personality for his cabinet.</li><li>But some people still seem surprised to see Trump nominate host Pete Hegseth as defense secretary.</li></ul>Earlier this week, I wondered <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/twitter-donald-trump-elon-musk-2024-11">how much Twitter was going to influence the next Trump administration — and how much influence we'd see from TV</a>, which was tremendously important the first time around.Here's one clue: <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-pentagon-pick-pete-hegseth-criticized-us-involvement-ukraine-aid-2024-11">Trump has just nominated Fox News host Pete Hegseth to be his secretary of defense</a>. The nomination has reportedly stunned some military leaders, Washington insiders, and at least one of Hegseth's Fox News colleagues."You're telling me Pete is going to oversee 2 million employees?" a fellow Fox host asked <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/11/13/media/pete-hegseth-fox-news-trump-defense-secretary/index.html">CNN's Brian Stelter</a>.Again: During Trump's first term, he was famous for 1) hiring people he saw on TV, 2) hiring people who "looked the part," and 3) hiring Fox News talent in particular. Hegseth, an Army National Guard veteran, ticks all those boxes. Regardless of whether he's the right guy to manage 2 million people.So yes. TV's going to remain important to Trump.On the other hand: The border between TV and Twitter — or more broadly, the internet — has always been permeable in the Trump era. Some of the clips you're seeing right now to explain who Hegseth is come from the internet — like <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DoN5ovwB8s4">the interview he did last week with podcaster/YouTuber Shawn Ryan</a>, one of the many men with <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/youtube-donald-trump-podcasts-joe-rogan2024-11">podcasts/YouTube channels</a> Trump visited during the 2024 campaign.Trump, who famously didn't use a computer for years, isn't hanging out on Twitter, YouTube, and 4chan. But he listens to people who do.And now one of the loudest voices in the room — perhaps the loudest voice, at the moment — is <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk">Elon Musk</a>, who is both a Twitter creature and Twitter's owner.Here's The <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/13/us/politics/musk-trump-transition-mar-a-lago.html">New York Times</a> on Musk's ascent to the top of Trumpworld:The Times also notes that Musk recently "walked into the dining room about 30 minutes after the president-elect did and received a similar standing ovation."That seems like the kind of thing that might eventually cause a rift between two men who really enjoy a solo spotlight. But for now, both things can be true: Donald Trump has both Twitter and TV on his mind — even if he's only actually watching one of them.

You Searched For "Donald Trump latest news" and got 11 results

Google is the latest company to land in Donald Trump's crosshairs

Grace Eliza Goodwin

The history of Jeff Bezos and Donald Trump's relationship

Sarah Jackson

Donald Trump's election victory is a 'home run' for Tesla

Beatrice Nolan

Let's call it the YouTube election

Peter Kafka

Mark Zuckerberg played it safe with Donald Trump this election. That strategy worked.

Katie Notopoulos

X's new CFO received a presidential pardon from Donald Trump

Beatrice Nolan

Puerto Rican stars like Jennifer Lopez and Ricky Martin spoke up for Harris after Trump's rally made the island a punching bag

Ayomikun Adekaiyero

McDonald's is the latest election battleground for Trump and Harris

Alex Bitter

What to know about Melania Trump's life, career, and marriage to Donald Trump

Talia Lakritz

Donald Trump is willing to debate Kamala Harris — but only on Fox News

Kenneth Niemeyer

Did you need another reminder that Donald Trump watches TV? Here you go.

Peter Kafka

Popular Keywords

Buying Guides