Trump Digital Ad Campaign Featured Russian Jets & Weapons

Moments after President Donald Trump delivered ceremonial remarks at a 9/11 anniversary commemoration in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, one of his digital campaign ads caused an intense backlash. It read “support our troops” but featured a stock photo of Russian-made fighter jets and weapons.

Immediately deleted after the mistake was uncovered, the picture is still available online.

In the photo, which marked the 19th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, designers used a stock photo with a Russian MiG-29 fighter jets and AK-74 machine guns.

The Trump ad also featured an “American” soldier bearing arms, holding a tilted down AK-74, which is a Soviet-issued military-grade weapon, while “Support Our Troops” splashed across the photo’s center.

The news comes as Trump has been attacked for remaining silent amid reports of a GRU military operation, in which Russia incentivized Taliban-linked Afghan militants with cash bounties to kill U.S. troops.

The president has repeatedly denied knowing anything about the Taliban killings, claiming that neither he nor any top White House officials had been briefed on the finding.

Article by Emily Bevacqua