Elon Musk, the wealthy proprietor of the platform previously known as Twitter, is once more igniting debate by hinting at the possibility of purchasing something he finds unappealing. This time, Musk has focused on left-leaning news channel MSNBC, although the notion seems more like a prank than a genuine business pursuit.

The excitement kicked off after Comcast revealed its intention to separate its cable networks, including MSNBC, into a new company. This led Donald Trump Jr. to weigh in with a humorous suggestion. “Hey @elonmusk I have the funniest idea ever!!!” Trump Jr. tweeted on X (formerly Twitter), alluding to a meme about MSNBC potentially being available for acquisition.

Always ready to seize a chance to provoke, Musk replied with a straightforward question: “How much does it cost?”

To set the record straight, there’s no proof that MSNBC is indeed on the market. Comcast’s strategy involves establishing a new entity that would encompass networks such as USA, Oxygen, E!, SYFY, Golf Channel, CNBC, alongside brands like Rotten Tomatoes and Fandango. Nonetheless, the mere thought of Musk purchasing MSNBC triggered a wave of responses from his conservative supporters.

Podcaster Joe Rogan joined in, jokingly tweeting, “If you buy MSNBC I would like Rachael Maddow’s job. I will wear the same outfit and glasses, and I will tell the same lies.” Meanwhile, conservative streamer Tim Pool added his spin, proposing, “Alex Jones hosting would be the most entertaining outcome.” This remark follows a satirical piece suggesting that The Onion had acquired Jones’ conspiracy platform, Infowars.

While all of this seems to be in jest, it’s important to remember that Musk’s acquisition of Twitter also originated as an apparently implausible notion. And we all know how that unfolded. Whether this recent trolling attempt is merely Musk being himself or hints at something greater remains to be seen.