Donald Trump presidential campaign, 2016/Campaign media

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Donald Trump announced his presidential run on June 16, 2015.[1]


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Donald Trump
2016 Republican presidential nominee
Running mate: Mike Pence

Election
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On the issues
Domestic affairsEconomic affairs and government regulationsForeign affairs and national securityTrump UniversityRepublican officials on TrumpLitigation and Trump's campaignViolence and Trump's campaignThe Trump FoundationMedia's coverage of Trump

Other candidates
Hillary Clinton (D) • Jill Stein (G) • Gary Johnson (L) • Vice presidential candidates

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  • On August 16, 2016, the Trump campaign announced that it intended to begin airing television ads in Florida, Ohio, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania. The ads were Trump’s first of the 2016 general election cycle. Prior to the August 16 announcement, Hillary Clinton’s campaign and pro-Clinton outside groups had already spent a combined total of more than $100 million on general election ads.[2]
  • On July 2, 2016, Trump was criticized for tweeting a graphic of Hillary Clinton with the tagline “most corrupt candidate ever" highlighted in a six-pointed star. The image first appeared on a “message board loaded with anti-Semitic conspiracy theories and neo-Nazi ideology.” Conservative radio host Erick Erickson commented, “A Star of David, a pile of cash, and suggestions of corruption. Donald Trump again plays to the white supremacists.” Former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski defended Trump on July 3, 2016, describing the outcry as “political correctness run amok."[3]
  • Sarah Bard, director of Jewish outreach for the Clinton campaign, said in a statement on July 4, 2016, “Donald Trump’s use of a blatantly anti-Semitic image from racist websites to promote his campaign would be disturbing enough, but the fact that it’s a part of a pattern should give voters major cause for concern. Now, not only won’t he apologize for it, he’s peddling lies and blaming others. Trump should be condemning hate, not offering more campaign behavior and rhetoric that engages extremists.”[4]
  • Trump tweeted on July 4, 2016, “Dishonest media is trying their absolute best to depict a star in a tweet as the Star of David rather than a Sheriff's Star, or plain star!” He later released a statement calling the Clinton campaign’s assertion “ridiculous.” He continued, “Clinton, through her surrogates, is just trying to divert attention from the dishonest behavior of herself and her husband. The real questions are, why was Bill Clinton meeting secretly with the US Attorney General on her case and where are the 33,000 missing emails and all of the other information missing from her case.”[5]
  • On June 27, 2016, The Hill reported that Trump was building a digital operation to support his bid for president, including fundraising emails and “a website highlighting what he said were lies told by Clinton.” Michael Duncan, “a partner at Cavalry, LLC, a political consultancy, who directed digital strategy for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's (R-Ky.) 2014 reelection bid,” said, “I think the early signs we’ve seen, from them activating a small dollar online plan coupled with the rollout of the microsite, tells me that the Donald Trump campaign is getting its footing. I’m hopeful that it’s the first of many steps towards building out a more sophisticated digital operation.”[6]
  • A report from the Harvard Kennedy School’s Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy found that Trump disproportionately benefited from positive media coverage of his campaign. The free coverage he received was worth approximately $55 million, nearly $20 million more than the next closest candidate, Jeb Bush.[7][8]
  • On June 6, 2016, BuzzFeed announced that “it had terminated an advertising agreement with the RNC that both parties signed back in April,” according to CNN. BuzzFeed CEO Jonah Peretti wrote, "We don't run cigarette ads because they are hazardous to our health, and we won't accept Trump ads for the exact same reason. … The Trump campaign is directly opposed to the freedoms of our employees in the United States and around the world and in some cases, such as his proposed ban on international travel for Muslims, would make it impossible for our employees to do their jobs.” RNC spokesman Sean Spicer responded to Peretti, saying, "Space was reserved on many platforms, but we never intended to use BuzzFeed. … It is ironic that they have not ruled out taking money from a candidate currently under investigation by the FBI."[9]
  • Ruth Guerra, the director of Hispanic media relations for the Republican National Committee (RNC), confirmed on June 1, 2016, that she was resigning her post and joining the American Action Network. The New York Times reported that Guerra “told colleagues this year that she was uncomfortable working for Mr. Trump.”[10]
  • On May 23, 2016, Donald Trump released a short video on Instagram featuring audio clips from Kathleen Willey and Juanita Broaddrick, two women who have accused former President Bill Clinton of sexual assault. The video ends with audio of Hillary Clinton laughing over the text, “Here we go again?”[11]
  • Trump’s campaign spent $2.5 million on ad buys ahead of primaries in two states, Pennsylvania and Indiana. In one clip, Donald Trump Jr. highlights Trump’s identity as a grandfather. Another clip features Trump speaking directly to the camera about Washington being “controlled by special interests and lobbyists.”[12][13]
  • In an ad released by the pro-Trump Great America PAC in Wisconsin ahead of the state’s primary on April 5, 2016, a mother explains why she plans to vote for Trump: “Ted Cruz? He wanted to let in more Syrian refugees and give more amnesty to illegal immigrants. That won’t protect my family. Donald Trump will.” The ad refers to two policy positions Cruz has since changed, according to The Washington Post.[14]
  • Donald Trump released a television ad titled "What Kind of Man" on February 9, 2016, the same day as the New Hampshire primary, that called Ted Cruz the “the worst kind of Washington insider.” The 30-second spot alleged that Cruz “talks from both side of his mouth” on allowing immigrants who are in the country illegally to stay and that he took “sweetheart” loans from Wall Street banks when he ran for Senate in 2012. Then the narrator says Cruz’s presidential campaign employed “dirty tricks” when it sent word to Iowans on the night of that state’s caucuses that Ben Carson might be dropping out.[15]
  • Trump released an ad February 3, 2016, titled "Voter Speak." The ad, which aired in New Hampshire, featured a montage of interviews from Trump supporters praising the real estate mogul for his plainspoken approach. Among the people featured in the ad commending Trump were women and minorities—groups that Trump has come under fire for making insensitive statements about.[16]
  • Trump released his first ad criticizing his opposition January 22, 2016, titled "Clear Difference" that charged that Cruz has not always held a hard line on immigration. The ad uses clips from a December 16, 2015, Fox News interview where Cruz attempts to explain an amendment he offered to the immigration reform bill, approved by the Senate in 2013. As Cruz explains his position, the ad labels Cruz "Pro-Immigration" and "Pro-Amnesty."[17]
  • Trump posted a video to his Instagram on January 7, 2016, featuring images of Monica Lewinsky, Anthony Weiner, and Bill Cosby interspersed with headlines about their past improprieties. He captioned it: “Hillary and her friends!”[18]
  • On January 4, 2016, Trump released his first TV ad, titled "Great Again," in which he highlighted the threat from terrorism and immigration. Over a montage of images, including pictures of the ISIS-inspired San Bernardino, California, shooters, a voice says, “That’s why he’s calling for a temporary shutdown of Muslims entering the United States, until we can figure out what’s going on. He’ll quickly cut the head off ISIS and take their oil. And he’ll stop illegal immigration by building a wall on our southern border that Mexico will pay for.” The ad aired in early primary states. [19]
  • On December 29, 2015, Trump told reporters that he would begin spending money on advertising in January 2015. He said, "When I see a 40 [percent], and I see a 12 or a 13 in second, I see no reason to spend. But I feel I should spend. And honestly, I don't want to take any chances. Starting around January 4 we're spending a lot of money. The press is hearing this for the first time, they're probably gonna go crazy."[20]
  • On December 9, 2015, Trump posted to his Instagram a video of Jeb Bush repeatedly calling Trump “a gifted politician.” The ad begins with the text: “Jeb can’t stop raving about Trump!”[21]
  • Trump released his first radio ads November 5, 2015, in a $300,000 ad buy in Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina. In one, a narrator says, “Donald Trump will protect Israel, and brutally and quickly cut the head off of ISIS." Another narrator states, “He will negotiate great trade deals and make our military so strong no country will ever mess with us.”[22]
  • Trump released a video opposing Jeb Bush for his stance on immigration on August 31, 2015. In the clip posted to Trump's Instagram account, Bush says of undocumented immigrants, “Yes, they broke the law, but it's not a felony. It’s an act of love." Images of three undocumented immigrants charged with murder that year play before the words “Forget love. It’s time to get tough!” flash across the screen.[23]

Recent news

This section links to a Google news search for the term Donald + Trump + Campaign + Media


See also

Footnotes

  1. The Wall Street Journal, "Donald Trump Enters 2016 Presidential Race," June 16, 2015
  2. The Wall Street Journal, "Trump to air first tv ads of general election," August 16, 2016
  3. CNN, "Trump campaign defends tweet as a 'basic star' in wake of criticism," July 4, 2016
  4. TIME, "Hillary Clinton Campaign Slams Donald Trump for ‘Blatantly Anti-Semitic’ Tweet," July 4, 2016
  5. The Wall Street Journal, "Donald Trump Defends Tweeted Image," July 4, 2016
  6. The Hill, "Trump flexes new digital muscle," June 27, 2016
  7. Politico, "Study: Trump boosted, Clinton hurt by primary media coverage," June 14, 2016
  8. Shorenstein Center, "Pre-Primary News Coverage of the 2016 Presidential Race: Trump’s Rise, Sanders’ Emergence, Clinton’s Struggle," June 13, 2016
  9. CNN, "Buzzfeed terminates contract and refuses to take Trump ads," June 6, 2016
  10. The New York Times, "Hispanic Official to Leave RNC in Sign of Disaffection With Donald Trump," June 1, 2016
  11. The Hill, "Trump video raises sexual assault charges against Bill Clinton," May 23, 2016
  12. The New York Times, "Donald Trump Opens $2 Million Ad Campaign in Pennsylvania," April 21, 2016
  13. CNN, "Trump campaign spends $2.5M on ads in Pennsylvania, Indiana," April 21, 2016
  14. The Washington Post, "Pro-Trump group misleads viewers about Ted Cruz’s stance on refugees and immigration," April 4, 2016
  15. WDTN.com, "The Latest: Trump’s new SC ad: Cruz ‘worst kind’ of insider," February 9, 2016
  16. Politico, "New Trump ad features support from everyday people," February 3, 2016
  17. The Hill, "Trump releases first attack ad," January 22, 2016
  18. The Washington Post, "Donald Trump just threw the kitchen sink at the Clintons," January 7, 2016
  19. The Washington Post, "Donald Trump’s provocative first TV ad raises the temperature of GOP race," January 4, 2016
  20. CNN Politics, "Trump: I will start spending $2M a week on ads," December 29, 2015
  21. Business Insider, "Donald Trump trolls Jeb Bush in new Instagram attack ad," December 9, 2015
  22. Politico, "Trump in new ad: 'Politicians are all talk, no action,'" November 5, 2015
  23. The Huffington Post, "Donald Trump Unleashes Controversial New Attack Against Jeb Bush," August 31, 2015