• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year

2

The river that supplies 40 million Americans is down to 23% — and about to make a $25 million bet on one fish

3

Jamie Dimon said the American Dream was slipping away. JPMorgan just put $40 million on the table to fix it

1

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year

2

The river that supplies 40 million Americans is down to 23% — and about to make a $25 million bet on one fish

3

Jamie Dimon said the American Dream was slipping away. JPMorgan just put $40 million on the table to fix it
Tech

Here’s What Donald Trump Plans to Do If He Loses the Election

By
Mathew Ingram
Mathew Ingram
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Mathew Ingram
Mathew Ingram
Down Arrow Button Icon
August 22, 2016, 5:49 PM ET

Depending on which polls you believe, it looks as though Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton is either going to cruise to victory on election day or squeak past Republican nominee Donald Trump with a narrow margin of victory. Either way, most experts say she is likely to win.

So what happens to Trump when the former reality TV host loses his presidential bid? Will he just go back to playing golf and financing beauty contests? Another season of The Apprentice?

According to some, the real estate entrepreneur actually has something quite different in mind. They say he wants to start a right-wing media outlet of his own, a cable channel and digital-media platform based on the Trump brand, like a cross between Fox News and the website Breitbart News.

Rumors of such a plan first surfaced in a Vanity Fair piece in June, which reported that Trump had discussed such plans with both his daughter Ivanka and with his son-in-law Jared Kushner, the owner and publisher of New York’s Observer magazine, who has advised Trump on media matters.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

According to a source that theVanity Fair spoke to, the view inside the Trump camp was that “win or lose, we are onto something here. We’ve triggered a base of the population that hasn’t had a voice in a long time.” Trump has also been celebrated by many for his use of social media platforms like Twitter to raise support and engage with his fan base.

Since that initial report, the Trump campaign has made a number of moves that lend credence to such an idea. For example, former Fox News chairman and CEO Roger Ailes—who was ousted from the network after being hit with multiple sexual-harassment allegations—is now said to be advising Trump on his media strategy.

In addition to that, Trump just hired former Breitbart chairman Steve Bannon as CEO of his campaign. A former investment banker, Bannon took over the website after founder and publisher Andrew Breitbart died suddenly in 2012, and has helped it take on a role in conservative circles that is second only to Fox.

“There is no doubt that there is a broader plan at play to extend the Trump brand and a conversation that they’re initiating right now beyond the November election,” former Breitbart spokesman Kurt Bardella said on CNN’s Reliable Sources show on Sunday.

The New York Times also said recently that it has heard about talks between Trump and Kushner about either starting or acquiring a media outlet and turning it into a Trump-based media entity.

Donald Trump’s Campaign Chair Just Resigned:

Bardella said the plan seems obvious when you consider the campaign now has “a person who up until a week ago was running a major audience-driven media entity,” and “is having regular conversations with Roger Ailes.” According to Bardella, “he’s making the case that when he loses this election, it will be because the media had it out for him and we need an alternative to make sure this never happens again.”

Vanity Fair contributing editor Sarah Ellison said that Trump has also talked with advisors often about his ability to drive high traffic numbers for networks such as Fox News and CNN, and feels that he could do the same thing for his own media company even if he is unsuccessful in his presidential bid.

Maybe that helps explain why Trump has been so critical of former friends like MSNBC hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski on Twitter—because he’s planning to go into competition with them.

Tried watching low-rated @Morning_Joe this morning, unwatchable! @morningmika is off the wall, a neurotic and not very bright mess!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 22, 2016

About the Author
By Mathew Ingram
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

Marc Benioff, chief executive officer of Salesforce
SuccessJobs
As AI slashes white-collar jobs, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff says there’s one department still hiring: sales
By Emma BurleighMay 28, 2026
3 hours ago
Costco CEO says AI is not stealing workers’ jobs—it’s ‘elevating’ them
Successthe future of work
Costco CEO says AI is not stealing workers’ jobs—it’s ‘elevating’ them
By Preston ForeMay 28, 2026
3 hours ago
Boos, AI-washing, and ‘low-value human capital’: The psychological traps CEOs are falling into when they botch their AI messaging
C-Suitechief executive officer (CEO)
Boos, AI-washing, and ‘low-value human capital’: The psychological traps CEOs are falling into when they botch their AI messaging
By Claire ZillmanMay 28, 2026
3 hours ago
Jan van Hövell built the world's largest sports club where membership is just a Euro a month.
SuccessSports
He left big law, became a DJ to pay his bills, and built sports clubs inside refugee camps. Now he wants more members than Bayern Munich
By Catherina GioinoMay 28, 2026
4 hours ago
g
CommentaryTraining
We gave our 5,000 employees a week to do nothing but learn AI. We learned the biggest blockers are human ones 
By Rob GiglioMay 28, 2026
6 hours ago
robot
CryptoRobots
This professor asked his robot clone about the future: ‘I think robots will coexist with people. Robots are the mirror of human beings’
By Yuri Kageyama and The Associated PressMay 28, 2026
7 hours ago

Most Popular

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year
Success
Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year
By Preston ForeMay 21, 2026
7 days ago
The river that supplies 40 million Americans is down to 23% — and about to make a $25 million bet on one fish
Environment
The river that supplies 40 million Americans is down to 23% — and about to make a $25 million bet on one fish
By Dorany Pineda, Brittany Peterson and The Associated PressMay 27, 2026
1 day ago
Jamie Dimon said the American Dream was slipping away. JPMorgan just put $40 million on the table to fix it
Banking
Jamie Dimon said the American Dream was slipping away. JPMorgan just put $40 million on the table to fix it
By Nick LichtenbergMay 27, 2026
1 day ago
Current price of oil as of May 27, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of May 27, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerMay 27, 2026
1 day ago
Even if every California billionaire left tomorrow, it would take 25 years for the state to lose as much as it stands to gain from proposed wealth tax
Economy
Even if every California billionaire left tomorrow, it would take 25 years for the state to lose as much as it stands to gain from proposed wealth tax
By Tristan BoveMay 27, 2026
1 day ago
Techlash grows in education: 'My daughter went to middle school and was sent home with a screen addiction in her backpack'
North America
Techlash grows in education: 'My daughter went to middle school and was sent home with a screen addiction in her backpack'
By Jocelyn Gecker and The Associated PressMay 26, 2026
2 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.