Trump accuses CNN of ‘campaign violation’ after Project Veritas' expose, Internet says ‘go eat your McDonald's’
Former president Donald Trump had strong words for CNN. While he routinely sparred with the organization during his time in office, the battle has taken a new meaning after Project Veritas' expose. Trump was speaking to Sean Hannity when he made the strong comments slamming CNN.
In mid-April, the rightwing organization released a video of CNN's technical director Charlie Chester. A reporter went undercover and on several dates with Chester and recorded his proud claims that "if it wasn't for CNN, I don't know that Trump would have got voted out". The viral video has since been condemned by many Republicans, but now for the first time Trump has directly addressed it.
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Speaking to Hannity late on Friday, April 23, Trump said, "What they are doing is a massive campaign violation. When you look at what they did." He also called Veritas' work "incredible". Unlike in the past, he did not spend a lot of time dwelling on the video. Instead, he and Hannity jumped to other topics including Facebook, Twitter, cancel culture and censorship. The clip Hannity aired was not a new interview, but part of an old one that he did with Trump at Mar-a-Lago and has been aired bit-by-bit.
In the clip, Trump also called for greater regulation of social media. Following the publication of Veritas' report, its founder James O'Keefe was permanently banned from the site. Twitter claims it banned O'Keefe because he operated fake accounts, but conservatives have claimed he was being censored for exposing CNN. Trump Jr tweeted shortly after the ban, "In case you haven't figured out how it works by now... @CNN spreads propaganda to elect Democrats And then @Twitter runs interference to protect CNN. They're all on the same team".
In case you haven't figured out how it works by now...@CNN spreads propaganda to elect Democrats
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) April 15, 2021
And then @Twitter runs interference to protect CNN.
They're all on the same team. https://t.co/xPi2CbOdxm
O'Keefe announced he would sue Twitter for 'defamation'. Trump did not make any comments at the time, but it seems like he did have something to say about the expose. It is unclear when exactly the Hannity interview was recorded and why Hannity chose to release the bit about CNN now.
'Nobody cares'
Since the clip aired, many users have begun resharing the news on social media. While some users have agreed with the former president, a large number continue to attack and troll him. One user tweeted, "Broke the law?”... coming from this former guy? Go sit down and eat your McDonalds. Nobody cares." One user asked, "How’s it going king cult leader Donnie?, How is the divorce?"
'That is a campaign violation': Donald Trump attacks CNN https://t.co/dQQZ4pqouj via @MailOnline
— Noly Garland🇨🇦 (@MeidasNoly) April 24, 2021
Can’t read this..headline and excerpts at the top is too much.
“Broke the law?”... coming from this former guy?
Go sit down and eat your McDonalds.
Nobody cares.
Trump to Hannity: Big Tech should face antitrust scrutiny, slams CNN over leaked videohttps://t.co/WYNLUmKGQw
— ozcur (@ozcur3) April 24, 2021
How’s it going king cult leader Donnie?, How is the divorce?
Another tweeted in support of Trump, saying, "Get 'em President Trump! you have the majority behind you!" Other pro-Trump Twitter users have shared links to the news from Fox, or other small outlets.
'That is a campaign violation': Donald Trump attacks CNN after technical director was caught on camera telling a 'date' that the network was focused on removing him from office
— 🇺🇸taritavirtue🇺🇸 (@tvirtue) April 24, 2021
💪get 'em President Trump!
you have the majority behind you!
🇺🇸❤️🇺🇸 https://t.co/BQzjxugSAE
While Trump and conservatives have reason to be angry, it is unclear how CNN's conduct is a 'campaign violation'. If the organization did plan propaganda to help boost President Joe Biden's image, it can be considered a violation of journalism ethics at best and a breach of public trust at worst.
These remarks were made by the Internet and individual organizations, MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and nor does it support these claims being made on the Internet.