Fox News' Sean Hannity reportedly wrote a Trump campaign ad that aired on his show
Fox News host Sean Hannity is denying a new report that he wrote a 2020 campaign ad for former President Donald Trump — an ad that then aired on his show.
An upcoming book by Mike Bender, White House reporter for The Wall Street Journal, about the 2020 presidential election includes the detail that Hannity allegedly had a role in writing a campaign ad for Trump last year, which only aired on his Fox News show, according to an excerpt published Tuesday by Punchbowl News.
"Multiple internal campaign emails referred to the spot simply as 'Hannity,'" Bender reports, per Punchbowl News. "Another referred to it as the 'Hannity-written' spot. 'POTUS has not yet approved, but Hannity has,' read one email. 'Hannity said this is our best spot yet,' another campaign aide wrote."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The ad deemed then-candidate Joe Biden a "forty-seven-year swamp creature" who supported a "radical, socialist Green New Deal." Bender writes that it "was mocked mercilessly" inside the Trump campaign "mostly because of the dramatic, over-the-top language and a message that seemed to value quantity over quality." In fact, the campaign reportedly "deemed it so useless that they limited it to exactly one show," Hannity's, hoping he and Trump would stop asking about it. It reportedly cost the campaign $1.5 million.
Hannity denied the reporting, telling Bender he "was not involved that much" in the Trump campaign and that "anybody who said that is full of sh--." According to Punchbowl, though, Trump "did not dispute that Hannity wrote the ad" during an interview with Bender.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
'Virtual prisons': how tech could let offenders serve time at home
Under The Radar New technology offers opportunities to address the jails crisis but does it 'miss the point'?
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
The Week contest: Airport goodbyes
Puzzles and Quizzes
By The Week US Published
-
'We shouldn't be surprised that crypto is back'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
'Empowered' Steve Bannon released from prison
Speed Read Bannon was set free a week before Election Day and quickly returned to his right-wing podcast to promote Trump
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Canada accuses top Modi ally of directing Sikh attacks
Speed Read Indian Home Minister Amit Shah was allegedly behind a campaign of violence and intimidation targeting Sikh separatists
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Harris makes closing case in huge rally at DC's Ellipse
Speed Read The Democratic nominee asked voters to "turn the page" on Trump's "division" and "chaos"
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
'I am not a Nazi,' Trump says amid MSG rally fallout
Speed Read Trump and his campaign are attempting to stem the fallout from comments made by speakers at Sunday's rally
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Ballot drop boxes set on fire in Oregon, Washington
Speed Read Hundreds of submitted ballots were destroyed in Vancouver, Washington
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Israel votes to ban UN agency for Palestinians
Speed Read UNRWA provides food, medical care and other humanitarian assistance to Palestine
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US election: where things stand with one week to go
The Explainer Harris' lead in the polls has been narrowing in Trump's favour, but her campaign remains 'cautiously optimistic'
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Elon Musk is in regular contact with Putin, WSJ says
Speed Read The Tesla founder has been increasingly involved in Donald Trump's presidential campaign
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published