The knives are out and all those who had a grouse against CNN or its newer avatar CNN+ can virtually or verbally stab the news network after the massive failure of its streaming operation as it pulled down shutters on April 21, 2022, less than a month before it began operations. Former president Donald Trump has criticized the network in the past and is now mocking it. The streaming service had only 150,000 subscribers before it closed down.

In a statement that was issued on Thursday, Trump sarcastically congratulated CNN+ for folding up as it didn’t have ratings or viewers. He described it as an “empty desert” although they had spent “hundreds of millions of dollars.”

He also took a potshot at Chris Wallace, whom he described as “low-rated.” He added that Chris
“lacked the talent and whatever else is necessary to be a star” though he tried hard to be like his father Mike.

He ended his statement saying that they no longer had to be bothered with one more piece of “CNN and Fake News.”

Trump has had problems with various reporters and personalities who work with the cable news network. This acrimonious relationship started even before he became the president. He had testy exchanges not only with Chris Wallace but also with other famous personalities including reporter Jim Acosta of CNN whose press pass was revoked by the White House in 2018.

Incoming President of CNN Chris Licht sent a memo to CNN staff, on Thursday. He said that he wanted to clearly mention that the move to shutter CNN+ was not a reflection of the talent or the hardworking people who had “poured their heart and soul into building and flawlessly launching CNN+ in a very short period of time.”

Licht said that it was “not a reflection of the quality of the talent and content of CNN+.” He added that some of the talent would “migrate to CNN’s programming or some of the company’s other networks.”

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