CNN tried to sell a false headline alleging that a fraction of the world’s richest man’s wealth could solve world hunger. CNN’s story was headlined, “2% of [Tesla co-founder and CEO] Elon Musk's wealth could solve world hunger, says director of UN food scarcity organization.” The lede paragraph asserted that “A small group of ultra-wealthy individuals could help solve world hunger with just a fraction of their net worth, says the director of the United Nations' World Food Programme [David Beasley.]”
But the story’s lede offers a completely different context than what the headline suggested. Saying the rich could “help” solve world hunger with a fraction of their wealth is vastly different from saying two percent of one man’s wealth — even if he is the most wealthy in the world — “could solve world hunger” as the headline stated. CNN later issued a correction at the bottom of the story correcting the spin.
Twitter users ripped the initial headline apart.
Nano Dimension director Dr. Eli David excoriated the story on Twitter: “Fact check: 2% of @elonmusk's wealth is $6B[;] In 2020 the UN World Food Program (WFP) raised $8.4B. How come it didn't ‘solve world hunger’?” Even Musk went after the story. “If WFP can describe on this Twitter thread exactly how $6B will solve world hunger, I will sell Tesla stock right now and do it.” He continued in a second tweet: “But it must be open source accounting, so the public sees precisely how the money is spent.”
A small group of ultra-wealthy individuals could help solve world hunger with just a fraction of their net worth, says the director of the United Nations' World Food Program.
— CNN (@CNN) October 27, 2021
Billionaires need to "step up now, on a one-time basis," David Beasley said. https://t.co/6HWvOEHcnP
Beasley responded to Musk on Twitter, lambasting CNN for faking the news. However, Beasley proceeded to make a string of claims that Musk’s money would prevent geopolitical instability, mass migration and save tens of millions from starvation: “@elonmusk! Headline not accurate. $6B will not solve world hunger, but it WILL prevent geopolitical instability, mass migration and save 42 million people on the brink of starvation.”
Beasley stated in a follow-up tweet to Musk that “With your help we can bring hope, build stability and change the future.” [Emphasis added.]
After Musk requested that Beasley publish WFB’s “current & proposed spending in detail,” Musk then tweeted a link to an Express article with the headline: “Starving children 'as young as NINE forced to give UN officials oral sex to get food.’” Musk captioned the tweet: “What happened here?” David warned Musk: “Now imagine how much worse they could do if you donate to them.”
Conservatives are under attack. Conservatives are under attack. Contact CNN at 1-(404)-827-1500 and demand it report economic policy fairly, stop pushing class warfare propaganda.
