Donald Trump has graced Truth Social with a particularly confusing take on the potential sale of Forbes to Austin Russell, 28, who was once branded the world’s youngest self-made billionaire.
Trump wrote, “Oh, really bad news! The Owned by China Forbes Magazine deal with Russia just fell apart, so China will continue to own and run it, and say bad things about your favorite President, ME.”
“But eventually it will cease to exist, be worthless. BAD WRITERS! Anyone that pays more than $50 Million for this pathetic outlet of Fake News is a fool!” he added.
Translation: Forbes Magazine, which Trump has repeatedly claimed is “owned by China,” was sold to American entrepreneur Russell in May for $800 million. On Tuesday, it was reported by Axios and other outlets that the deal has not yet gone through, despite a two-week extension.
As for Forbes’ writers, the outlet has more than 150 million readers a month, who presumably read because they enjoy the writing.
Russell’s deal initially fell through after Indian investment firm Sun Group, along with other investors, didn’t send money that was owed. The 28-year-old CEO of Luminar Technologies is in negotiations with the Hong Kong-based investment firm, Integrated Whale Media.
As for Trump’s reference to and odd praise for Russia, in October, the Washington Post reported that Russian oligarch Magomed Musaev claimed to associates that he was behind the purchase of Forbes. Forbes has said that Musaev had “no involvement whatsoever in the Forbes transaction,” with a spokesperson adding, “There is no Russian capital or control involved in this transaction.” However, Russell was reportedly present at a party with Musaev in June.
In October, Trump lashed out at Forbes after the magazine removed him from their Forbes 400 list of the 400 wealthiest Americans.
He wrote on Truth Social, “China owned (China Investment Corp, the Country’s Sovereign wealth Fund!), and very badly failing, Forbes ‘Magazine,’ which lost most of its relevance long ago, and which knows less about me than Stormy Daniels (who doesn’t know me at all!) or Rosie O’Donnell, took me off their Fake Forbes 400 list, just by a ‘whisker,’ even though they know that I should be high up on that now very dated and discredited ‘antique.'”
“They are working with the Racist and highly incompetent, job killing Attorney General of New York, Letitia ‘Peekaboo’ James, who has allowed Murder and Violent Crime in the State to hit epidemic levels,” Trump continued. “China owned Forbes is a participant in the Election Interference Scam, and after what I have done to China, with hundreds of billions of dollars being paid to the USA, who can blame them?”
The indicted former president added, “For years Forbes has attacked me with really dumb writers assigned to hit me hard, and I am now up 60 Points on the Republicans, and beating Crooked Joe by a lot. So much for Forbes!”
Forbes responded, “Removed from The Forbes 400, Trump responds as he always has — by lying about his net worth and saying he should be higher on the list. We take extraordinary care in valuing his fortune, and our ownership — which does not include China’s wealth fund — plays no role in that effort.”
“Twice a year, we publish a detailed breakdown of our work, offering a far more accurate portrayal of Trump’s personal balance sheet than the fictitious documents the Trump Organization has created over the years,” the statement concluded.
Later Saturday, Trump went on to attack The Atlantic, reveling in its financial woes, writing, “It’s so good to see how badly the THIRD RATE MAGAZINE, The Atlantic, is doing. It’s failing at a level seldom seen before, even in the Publishing Business. False and Fake stories do it every time!”
He added, “They’ve got a rich person funding the ridiculous losses, but at some point, rich people get smart also. Steve Jobs would not be proud of his wife, Laurene, and the way she is spending his money. The Radical Left is destroying America!”
It was unclear whether there was new information Trump was referring to or if it’s the same ongoing concerns with The Atlantic’s sustainability that it has faced for several years.
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