It's not just CNN: Now ABC, CBS and NBC all refuse to run Trump re-election campaign ad that blasts them as 'FAKE NEWS'

  • President Trump's 2020 reelection campaign is blasting 'biased' CNN, ABC, CBS and NBC for refusing to run Trump's first re-election ad
  • The ad includes five TV news anchors and personalities as it blasts 'fake news'
  • CNN pushed back at the 'false graphic' as says 'the mainstream media is not 'fake news'
  • The campaign planned to put $1.5 million behind the 30-second ad
  • Instead the publicity will drive millions of eyeballs to see it, free of charge 
By DAVID MARTOSKO, US POLITICAL EDITOR  and GEOFF EARLE, DEPUTY US POLITICAL EDITOR FOR DAILYMAIL.COM
PUBLISHED: 12:57 EDT, 5 May 2017 | UPDATED: 15:02 EDT, 5 May 2017
Donald Trump's ongoing feud with TV networks not named 'Fox News' has clicked into a new gear as ABC, CBS and NBC have all joined CNN in refusing to run an ad from the president's re-election campaign committee.
The ad shows hosts from all four networks under a banner that reads 'FAKE NEWS.'
It's the Trump campaign's first commercial since winning the White House, and although it is three years out from the next election, it declares the nation has 'rarely seen such success.'
The ad blasts the 'fake news' media for failing to see things that way – and includes CNN's Wolf Blitzer, Also included are MSNBC's Rachel Maddow and Andrea Mitchell, CBS's Scott Pelley and ABC's George Stephanopoulos in its rogues gallery. 
Nowhere to be found is the right-leaning Fox News Channel, Trump's favorite network. 
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The first big planned ad buy from Donald Trump's re-election campaign blasts 'fake news' from (left to right) MSNBC's Andrew Mitchell, CNN's Wolf Blitzer, MSNBC's Rachel Maddow, ABC's George Stephanopoulos and CBS's Scott Pelley – but none of the networks will run the spot
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The first big planned ad buy from Donald Trump's re-election campaign blasts 'fake news' from (left to right) MSNBC's Andrew Mitchell, CNN's Wolf Blitzer, MSNBC's Rachel Maddow, ABC's George Stephanopoulos and CBS's Scott Pelley – but none of the networks will run the spot
Donald J. Trump for President wanted to put $1.5 million behind the ad buy, marking his first 100 days in office
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Donald J. Trump for President wanted to put $1.5 million behind the ad buy, marking his first 100 days in office
The president's daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, says the four networks are engaging in 'an unprecedented act of censorship'
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The president's daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, says the four networks are engaging in 'an unprecedented act of censorship'
Presidential daughter-in-law Lara Trump, a consultant to the campaign organization, said in a statement that '[a]pparently, the mainstream media are champions of the First Amendment only when it serves their own political views.'
'Faced with an ad that doesn't fit their biased narrative, CNN, ABC, CBS, and NBC have now all chosen to block our ad. This is an unprecedented act of censorship in America that should concern every freedom-loving citizen.' 
In an appearance Thursday night on the Fox News Channel's 'Hannity' program, she called the move 'really ridiculous' and 'really sad.'
CNN was the first to take a pass on airing the ad, a move that generated news stories and publicity – and drove millions of eyeballs to the 30-second spot without costing the campaign a cent. 
It was to spend $1.5 million to put the ad on the air.
President Trump has repeatedly referred to the 'fake news' media and has clashed with correspondents and anchors on nearly every network
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President Trump has repeatedly referred to the 'fake news' media and has clashed with correspondents and anchors on nearly every network
The ad has all the hallmarks of an early campaign push, including Trump's ubiquitous slogan
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The ad has all the hallmarks of an early campaign push, including Trump's ubiquitous slogan
The network 'requested that the advertiser remove the false graphic that the mainstream media is "fake news," a CNN spokeswoman told DailyMail.com this week. 
'The mainstream media is not fake news, and therefore the ad is false and per policy will only be accepted if that graphic is deleted.'
The statement didn't dispute any of the ad's other claims lauding Trump's moves to slash regulations, create jobs, and confirm Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch. 
The Trump camp didn't shy from CNN's pushback – blasting it out in a press release to its base of supporters and contributors.
'It is absolutely shameful to see the media blocking the positive message that President Trump is trying to share with the country. It's clear that CNN is trying to silence our voice and censor our free speech because it doesn't fit their narrative,' said Michael Glassner, the campaign's executive director.
It yet another release making hay out of the blowup, Glassner piles on. The email missive is headlined: 'CNN EPITOMIZES MEANING OF FAKE NEWS, CENSORS TRUMP CAMPAIGN AD.'



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'This is censorship pure and simple,' he says in the email. 'By rejecting our ad, CNN has proven that it supports censorship is biased and fears an opposing point of view. President Trump’s loyal supporters know the truth: The mainstream media mislead, misguide, deceive, and distract.'
Glassner concludes: 'CNN epitomizes the meaning of fake news and has proven it by rejecting our paid campaign ad.' 
The four-network shoving match comes less than a week after the president engaged in long-distance sparring with the media during the annual White House Correspondents Dinner, which he did not attend.
Trump instead held a rally in Pennsylvania where he blasted the media in front of nearly 10,000 screaming fans.
'We are not fake news, we are not failing news organizations and we are not the enemy of the American people,' said WHCA president and Reuters correspondent Jeff Mason during his remarks at the dinner.
Titled 'First 100 Days,' the highlights Trump's initial achievements in office and blasts 'fake news' for downplaying them.
'You wouldn't know it from watching the news,' a moderator scolds – as huge red letters screaming 'Fake News' cover the faces of TV personalities.
'America has rarely seen such success, the ad's narrator says. 
'A respected Supreme Court justice confirmed. Companies investing in American jobs again. America becoming more energy independent. Regulations that kill American jobs eliminated. The biggest tax cut plan in history.'
'You wouldn't know it from watching the news,' it continues. 
At that point the ad flashes the words 'FAKE NEWS' on-screen, complete with pictures of five TV news anchors.
The ad touts the 'biggest tax cut in history' – which hasn't happened yet since Congress is still wrangling over the details
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The ad touts the 'biggest tax cut in history' – which hasn't happened yet since Congress is still wrangling over the details
The half-million jobs 'created' include many recorded during the first 19 days of January – when Barack Obama was still president
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The half-million jobs 'created' include many recorded during the first 19 days of January – when Barack Obama was still president
Trump's campaign ad touts his biggest achievement to day, successfully shepherding a Supreme Court justice's nomination through the U.S. Senate
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Trump's campaign ad touts his biggest achievement to day, successfully shepherding a Supreme Court justice's nomination through the U.S. Senate
The ad buy, announced Monday, is paid for by Donald J. Trump for President, Inc., and was to air in major markets throughout the country in addition to targeting specific voting groups online.
A statement from the campaign said the ad is part of Trump's 'approach of reaching out to the American people directly by highlighting his work over the first 100 days and fighting back against the continued media bias.'
'I'm Donald Trump and I approved this message,' the commercial concludes in the president's voice – just like the campaign ads Americans saw non-stop.
'America is winning,' the voice-over says, 'and President Trump is making America great again.'