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The public blowup<\/a> between Donald Trump<\/strong> and Elon Musk<\/strong> \u201cgets at some of the fissures in the whole MAGA movement as it is right now, a conglomeration of populists and idiosyncratic types,\u201d Charles Gasparino<\/strong> tells me, adding that it\u2019s proving difficult to \u201ckeep the band together.\u201d<\/p>\n The senior correspondent for Fox Business has covered Musk\u2019s \u201crecklessness\u201d as a business leader for years, arguing that \u201cwhile there is a little cult of personality around him, or was for a long time, that has ended now,\u201d with the public alienation of the MAGA base.<\/p>\n Gasparino has been waiting<\/a> for the relationship between the president and the billionaire tech mogul to implode, and he couldn\u2019t be having more fun covering the matter, as well as the broader economic implications of Trump\u2019s return to the Oval Office. Gasparino, who is also a columnist for the New York Post,<\/em> tells Vanity Fair<\/em> that even with the avalanche of business news coming from the start of Trump\u2019s second term, he\u2019s approaching his coverage in the same way he has for decades: \u201cTry to be fair, try to call balls and strikes, and, you know, get yelled at every now and then, which is part of the job.\u201d<\/p>\n Over the years, Gasparino has built a reputation on his blunt and sometimes combative reporting style, telling me it\u2019s in a journalist\u2019s best interest to \u201cinvite the conflict a little bit.\u201d He argues that covering the intersection of politics and business \u201cnecessitates a degree of fairness as well,\u201d which is something he worries about constantly: \u201cI don\u2019t want to look stupid. I don\u2019t want the network to look stupid. I don\u2019t want the New York Post<\/em> to look stupid.\u201d<\/p>\n With that being said, Gasparino has pulled no punches in regard to covering<\/a> Trump\u2019s economic blunders in his second term, arguing that the president\u2019s tariff policy is \u201cnot the answer to bringing back 1960s manufacturing.\u201d Gasparino\u2019s tough coverage of the president occasionally causes some headaches for him back home. Every once in a while, he\u2019ll get a call from a member of his blue-collar family on Long Island and in Queens, requesting that he \u201cjust give the guy a break.\u201d<\/p>\n The correspondent also does a fair amount of straight business and M&A reporting, covering the media-industry upheaval that has resulted in the spinning off of cable assets at both Warner Bros. Discovery and Comcast, as well as Shari Redstone<\/strong>\u2019s ongoing attempt to sell<\/a> Paramount to Skydance amid a Trump lawsuit.<\/p>\n Gasparino is convinced that these are all signs of a forthcoming sellers market, arguing that \u201cif you sat down with David [Zaslav]<\/strong> and Brian Roberts,<\/strong> gave them a martini\u2014let\u2019s get them loosened up\u2014I guarantee they would say, \u2018Please let Amazon and Apple buy us\u2026because this business model of linear TV cable is just not working.\u2019 What David is doing right now is a Band-Aid.\u201d<\/p>\n Vanity Fair:<\/em> I\u2019m sure it\u2019s been a busy first few months of reporting. What has your role looked like during a second Trump presidency?<\/strong><\/p>\n Charles Gasparino:<\/strong> It\u2019s kind of like it was the first time. I mean, despite different news, different presidency, in many ways, different people. I\u2019ve been doing this the same way for\u2014I\u2019m gonna date myself. And I never really changed. I approach my job the same way today as I did probably 10 years ago, 20 years ago, 30 years ago. In terms of approach, there\u2019s no difference. Try to be fair, try to call balls and strikes, and, you know, get yelled at every now and then, which is part of the job. Sometimes you get yelled at more than others, but you just suck it up and move on.<\/p>\n