Trump campaign regularly posted ads on Facebook using the word 'invasion'
Since January, President Trump's re-election campaign has posted more than 2,000 Facebook ads focusing on immigration that use the word "invasion," The New York Times reports.
He has also used the word "invasion" in several tweets regarding immigrants at the border. Trump's word choice is in the spotlight following Saturday's massacre at a Walmart in El Paso, which left 22 people dead. The suspect is believed to have written an online screed ahead of the attack, declaring that it was "a response to the Hispanic invasion of Texas."
Data from Bully Pulpit Interactive, a Democratic communications firm tracking 2020 presidential candidates' digital advertising, shows that since late March, Trump has spent an estimated $1.25 million on Facebook ads about immigration. The "invasion" ads were a small portion of the ad buy, the Times reports, with most first running between January and March and a few dozen launching in May. One ad stated, "We have an INVASION!" followed by "It's CRITICAL that we STOP THE INVASION."
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.
Throughout his presidential campaign, Trump made inflammatory statements about immigrants, saying Mexico was sending rapists across the border and calling for a "total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States" following the 2015 terrorist attack in San Bernardino. On Monday, he said "mental illness and hatred pulls the trigger, not the gun," which earned a sharp rebuke from Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.)."White supremacy is not a mental illness," she tweeted. "We need to call it what it is: domestic terrorism. And we need to call out Donald Trump for amplifying these deadly ideologies."
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
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
Catherine Garcia is night editor for TheWeek.com. Her writing and reporting has appeared in Entertainment Weekly and EW.com, The New York Times, The Book of Jezebel, and other publications. A Southern California native, Catherine is a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
Labour's Brexit conundrum
The Explainer Keir Starmer backs 'twin track' strategy – build closer security ties with EU while ruling out single market, customs union and free movement
By The Week UK Published
-
6 scenic white water rafting destinations to get your heart racing
The Week Recommends Have a rip-roaring time on the water
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US Published
-
Dangerous substances in Lunchables are raising concerns over children's health
In the Spotlight High levels of lead and sodium were recently found in the snack packages
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Amazon ending 'Just Walk Out' grocery checkout
Speed Read In its place, the company will let customers scan while they shop with Amazon Dash Cart
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Justice Department bites Apple with iPhone suit
Speed Read The lawsuit alleges that the tech company monopolized the smartphone industry
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
House votes to force TikTok to sell or face US ban
speed read The House passed a bill to ban TikTok on national security grounds unless it sells to a non-Chinese company
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Apple kills its secret electric car project
Speed Read Many of the people from Project Titan are being reassigned to work on generative AI
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Cellphone use may be lowering sperm count
Speed Read Electromagnetic radiation could be affecting male fertility
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
How AI might influence democracy in 2024
The Explainer Threat from bots and deepfakes stalks key elections around the world next year
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Last updated
-
Nasa reveals first findings from asteroid that could explain origins of life
Speed Read Sample from Bennu has been found to contain an abundance of water and carbon
By Jamie Timson, The Week UK Published
-
NYPD to monitor Labor Day parties using surveillance drones
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published