Breaking Fake News Update (v21)

Fake News Broke on September 22, 2025!

What's up with this bit of fake news?  Let's dive in.

You may recall hearing about companies making 'contibutions' to the FOTUSential library, after entering into 'discussions' or 'settlements' or 'negotations' with the government to resolve 'issues' impacting the firms. In case you don't remember who paid what, here's a refresher:

• ABC: $15,000,000;
• Paramount Global:$16, 000,000; 
• Meta: $22,000,000; and
• X, formerly known as Twitter: $10,000,000, some for legal fees and some for the libary.

And, of course, ABC's back in the news on the extortion front, after Nexstar Media Group and Sinclair Broadcasting, two of the biggest carriers of the network and its nighttime flagship show, Jimmy Kimmel Live, reacted to the backlash following Kimmel's alleged 'celebratory' comments after the murder of Charlie Kirk. 

Kimmel was suspended 'indefinitely,' (although real news is breaking that he'll be back on the air tomorrow), and during the time he was off, People.com reported that Kimmel had been given a "list of demands" from Sinclair, including that he

issue an apology to Kirk's family and make a "meaningful personal donation" to Kirk's family and Kirk's nonprofit, Turning Point USA.

So, there's that part of the fake news. Next up? Eric Trump, who has been noodling around about possibly running to replace his father in the White House. The linked Guardian article mentions an interview Trump did, in which he said

The real question is: 'Do you want to drag other members of your family into it?... You know, if the answer was yes, I think the political path would be an easy one, meaning I think I could do it.

He apparently hasn't made up his mind, but we'll hear more from him on his decision-making process, I'm sure, over the coming weeks and months.   

And, we'll hear much more from Erika Kirk as well, after she was tapped to lead TPUSA, as her husband wanted, and, in a moving social media post shortly after her husband's death said

They have no idea what they just ignited within this weife. If they thought my husband's mission was big now... you have no idea. 

She's vowed to continue he campus campaign, engaging and recruiting young conservatives into the movement. She will be, I'm sure, a force to be reckoned with - and more of a forc thatn Eric Trump ever dreamed of being. 

And that leaves us Brendan Carr, Trump's FCC head, Like others in the administration, he'll do anything to help his boss, including extorting companies with business before the FCC.  For those companies, including Nextstar, which is working on a $6.2B merger with TEGNA, Carr had this message: 

We can do this the easy way or the hard way. These companies can find ways to change conduct and take action, frankly, on Kimmel, or there's going to be additional work for the FCC ahead.

Seems pretty clear the administration is going to continue to be hands on with everyone, and will be putting a thumb or two on the scales to make sure that there's funding available for pet interests the FOTUS is interested in.

As always, we'll be keeping an eye out for fake news like this, and if it breaks, we'll bring it to you here.