Fact Check: Is Elon Musk buying CNN after it was banned from the White House?

ATLANTA, GEORGIA: After President Donald Trump banned CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from the White House, a rumor began circulating on social media platforms claiming that Tesla CEO and trillionaire Elon Musk is buying CNN. The claim has triggered mixed reactions among online users, as many are skeptical. Let's verify the claim.

Claim: Elon Musk is buying CNN

According to a viral  X post, Musk is buying CNN, garnering more than two hundred thousand views as of this writing. It is accompanied by an AI image of Musk in front of what appears to be the outlet’s office.

The claim drew mixed reactions from netizens, with many expressing concerns over the alleged takeover.

At the same time, conservative accounts appeared to praise Musk for the alleged development, indicating that many believe the claim is true.

In contrast, a few others dismissed it as fake and questioned its authenticity.

Fact Check: False; no such move from Elon Musk

The claim, however, is false, as there are no reports of Elon Musk buying the outlet. The claim has spread several times since 2024, and fact-checkers debunked it each time; it has resurfaced now after the outlet was ousted from the White House.

There are no new announcements, official statements, or social media posts from Musk, the outlet, or Warner Bros., its parent company, that support the viral claim.

If Musk were really buying CNN, it would be widely covered by major news media outlets, making headlines, but a search on Google for the claim returned no such media reports.

Donald Trump bans CNN, Politico, and MS NOW from White House

The claim resurfaced after Trump, on Friday, September 18, announced that reporters from CNN, Politico, and MS NOW  would no longer have access to the White House, accusing them of spreading “fake news,” and warned that other outlets could face similar treatment.  

Taking to his Truth Social account, the president wrote, “I am proud to announce that, effective immediately, I am banning Fake News CNN, MSNOW … and Politico … from the White House as a result of their constant ‘reporting’ FAKE NEWS!”  

When asked about the ban at a press conference, Trump told reporters, “Because they’re fake news. You get so tired of reading and seeing fake news. When you look at CNN, it’s just fake. That’s why their ratings are no good. When you look at MS NOW…, it’s fake news.”