CNN Accused Of Censorship, Fake News, By Trump Supporters For Refusing To Air President's Ad

President Donald Trump’s supporters accused CNN of censorship when the network declined to air an ad by Trump's campaign showing the president’s 100 days at office, because the ad included a graphic that called the mainstream media "fake news," the network said Tuesday.

Trump's campaign committee named “Donald J. Trump for President” criticized CNN claiming that the network did not run the ad about the president’s first 100 days and said that the network was trying to “silence our voice and censor our free speech because it doesn't fit their narrative.”

“It is absolutely shameful to see the media blocking the positive message that President Trump is trying to share with the country,” Michael Glassner, executive director of the campaign committee told the Associated Press.

Glassner also said CNN "takes issue with the ad’s message calling out the mainstream media for peddling fake news and not reporting on the fact that President Trump is making America great again."

CNN responded to the accusations with a statement that read: “CNN requested that the advertiser remove the false graphic that the mainstream media is 'fake news.' The mainstream media is not fake news, and therefore the ad is false and per policy will be accepted only if that graphic is deleted.”

The ad features a segment where famous anchors including NBC's Andrea Mitchell, MSNBC's Rachel Maddow, ABC's George Stephanopoulos, CBS' Scott Pelley, and CNN's Wolf Blitzer are shown on screen behind the phrase “fake news.” While this image stays on screen, the narrator is heard saying: “You wouldn’t know it from watching the news. America is winning, and President Trump is making America great again.”

Trump has always targeted CNN since taking office calling many of their coverage as “fake news.” The term fake news is originally referred to “objectively false stories spread primarily via social media.” However, Trump has used it to describe mainstream media and sometimes also denounced true stories that contained information he does not seem to like or appear to go against him.

CNN’s refusal to air the ad did not go down well with the president’s supporters and Republican National Committee Chairwoman, Ronna McDaniel called it a "clearly biased decision."

“Freedom of speech is a hallmark of our nation's founding, and it is concerning that CNN, who I assume to be a strong supporter of the First Amendment, would stifle speech that they disagree with," McDaniel said.

"CNN should allow the ad to be aired and apologize for their attempt to block the President's message,” she added, according to Politico.

Trump’s campaign that produced the ad put out a press release that accused the network of censorship and said it “epitomizes the meaning of fake news.”

The press release read: “This is censorship pure and simple. 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. CNN epitomizes the meaning of fake news and has proven it by rejecting our paid campaign ad.”

The ad also speaks of the president’s achievements during his first 100 days including the confirmation of Supreme Court Judge Neil Gorsuch and his greenlighting of the Keystone XL pipeline.