Trump Mocks CNN+ Over Rapid Shutdown, Lauds Its Demise

Former President Donald Trump Thursday ridiculed Warner Bros. Discovery over its short-lived CNN+ streaming app, sarcastically posting a message to offer his "congratulations" on its early demise.

"Congratulations to CNN+ on their decision to immediately FOLD for a lack of ratings, or viewers in any way, shape, or form," Trump said in a statement through his Save America PAC. "It was like an empty desert out there despite spending hundreds of millions of dollars."

Incoming CNN Chief Executive Chris Licht Thursday confirmed a report in Variety about the shutdown and said the CNN+ service would be shut down at the end of April.

CNN+ was launched as a pay service when CNN was still part of AT&T. However, earlier this month, the parent company combined with Discovery to form Warner Bros. Discovery, under Discovery CEO David Zaslav. 

The pay service was launched after $100 million in development costs was spent, and the service attracted top names for the lineup, including former Fox News anchor Chris Wallace, whose name drew extra scorn from Trump in his announcement. 

CNN+ failed, Trump said, despite "the hiring of low-rated Chris Wallace, a man who tried so hard to be his father, Mike, but lacked the talent and whatever else is necessary to be a star."

But at any rate, Trump concluded, the decision to shut down the app is "just one more piece of CNN and Fake News that we don’t have to bother with anymore!"

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