- Former President Donald Trump escalates his long-running feud with Comcast and CEO Brian Roberts, calling NBCUniversal networks "a disgrace" over perceived bias.
- The public criticism comes as Comcast is in the midst of a major corporate restructuring, planning to spin off several cable networks into a new entity called SpinCo.
- Trump contrasts his Comcast criticism with praise for CBS, which he says is under "good new management," highlighting the political pressures facing media conglomerates.
Former President Donald Trump has launched a fresh broadside against Comcast Corp. and its Chief Executive Officer Brian Roberts, sharply criticizing news coverage from the company's NBCUniversal subsidiary. In public remarks, Trump alleged the media conglomerate is undermining broadcasting integrity, specifically targeting networks like MSNBC and NBC.
"Comcast and its networks are a disgrace," Trump said, according to people familiar with the matter, reiterating a long-standing narrative of partisan media bias. The criticism stands in stark contrast to his comments on rival broadcaster CBS, which he suggested is now under "good new management."
The verbal assault lands as Comcast navigates a significant corporate overhaul. Last November, the telecommunications and media giant announced plans to spin off a large portion of its cable networks—including MSNBC, CNBC, USA Network, and SyFy—into a new publicly traded company temporarily dubbed "SpinCo." The move is widely seen as a strategic effort to adapt to a rapidly shifting media landscape characterized by cord-cutting, streaming proliferation, and volatile advertising markets.
Mark Lazarus, the current chairman of NBCUniversal Television and Streaming, is slated to become CEO of the new entity once the spinoff is completed, which is expected within the coming months pending regulatory approvals. Efforts to reach Comcast for comment on Trump's latest remarks were not immediately successful.
Trump's renewed focus on Comcast fits a well-established pattern of targeting media organizations he perceives as adversarial. His relationship with NBC, which once aired "The Apprentice," has been particularly fraught since his entry into politics. The criticism also carries potential regulatory implications, given Trump's influence and his previous FCC chair's scrutiny of the company.
For Comcast shareholders, the political noise adds another layer of uncertainty atop a complex restructuring designed to unlock value. The company's cable and streaming divisions have faced increased competitive pressures, leading to mixed quarterly performances. The creation of SpinCo aims to separate declining linear TV assets from Comcast's higher-growth broadband and theme park businesses, allowing each to pursue distinct strategies.
The broader media industry is watching closely, as other legacy players like Warner Bros. Discovery and Disney have undertaken similar spin-offs and asset sales. Without a successful execution of its restructuring plan, Comcast could face intensified pressure from investors and further market share erosion to digital rivals. For now, the company must manage both a business transformation and the unpredictable spotlight of political criticism.