Donald Trump unleashed a tirade against CNBC on Truth Social, accusing the network of peddling "fake news" about his upcoming trip to China. The 79-year-old former president took to his platform to defend his entourage, which includes high-profile business moguls like Elon Musk.
On May 12, Trump fired off a post claiming, "CNBC incorrectly reported that the Great Jensen Huang, of Nvidia, was not invited to the incredible gathering of the World's Greatest Businessmen/women, proudly going to China. In actuality, Jensen is currently on Air Force One and, unless I ask him to leave, which is highly unlikely, CNBC's reporting is incorrect or, as they say in politics, FAKE NEWS!" This outburst followed a bizarre moment caught on camera involving Melania that left many viewers stunned.
He continued, "It is an Honor to have Jensen, Elon, Tim Apple, Larry Fink, Stephen Schwarzmann, Kelly Ortberg (Boeing), Brian Sikes (Cargill), Jane Fraser (Citi), Larry Culp (GE Aerospace), David Solomon (Goldman Sachs), Sanjay Mehrotra (Micron), Cristiano Amon (Qualcomm), and many others journeying to the Great Country of China where I will be asking President Xi, a Leader of extraordinary distinction, to 'open up' China so that these brilliant people can work their magic." The irony? Trump’s slip-up calling Apple CEO Tim Cook "Tim Apple" didn’t escape the sharp eyes of critics.
As the post circulated on social media, users wasted no time mocking Trump's blunder. One user quipped, "Tim Apple is a cousin to Bill Banana and brother to Marco Melon..." Another chimed in with, "If a billionaire CEO doesn’t have the guts to correct Trump publicly, he’s now Tim Apple until further notice." The jabs kept coming: "Maybe he meant Tim Orange, aka Orange Man?" and "Does this prove he writes his own tweets?" A particularly biting comment read, "Trump’s brain is an apple."
Meanwhile, Trump’s relationship with Tesla's Elon Musk appears to be back on track as he invited him along for the China trip. The CEOs of major corporations like Apple and Boeing are also set to join him. Trump is banking on this visit to yield lucrative trade deals and agreements with Beijing.
In his post, he expressed enthusiasm for the trip: "I am very much looking forward to my trip to China, an amazing Country, with a Leader, President Xi, respected by all. Great things will happen for both Countries!" Discussions are expected to revolve around trade, artificial intelligence, export controls, Taiwan, and the Iran conflict. Notably absent from the attendee list are executives from General Motors, Disney, and Alphabet—companies that also have significant interests in China.
Adding fuel to the fire, Melania reportedly snubbed Trump's trip to China and was replaced by an unexpected family member known for stirring controversy.
