Donald Trump Wants Supporters to Help Him End 2017 by Awarding a 'King of Fake News' Trophy

President Donald Trump’s fundraising committee is following through with the president’s suggestion of having a contest to award the Fake News trophy of 2017.

The Trump Make America Great Again Committee sent an email to supporters asking for help in rating the “most Fake News stories of 2017,” per Trump’s tweeted suggestion last month.

We should have a contest as to which of the Networks, plus CNN and not including Fox, is the most dishonest, corrupt and/or distorted in its political coverage of your favorite President (me). They are all bad. Winner to receive the FAKE NEWS TROPHY!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 27, 2017

When the suggestion was first made, Rasmussen Reports conducted a national telephone and online survey, and found 40 percent of all voters think Fox News should get the Fake News Trophy. CNN came in second place with 25 percent of voters.

Trump’s fundraising committee decided to be more specific and give fake news story options rather than have supporters choose one fake news network.

The email states, “At President Trump’s request, we are holding a contest to name the 2017 KING of Fake News. And we want to hear from you,” according to the Washington Examiner.

The email then links to a poll titled “Crown the King of Fake News.”

“Please rate the most Fake News stories of 2017 to help us crown the 2017 KING of Fake News Trophy winner,” the top of the poll reads.

There are three news story options to vote on, and supporters are encouraged to label each “fake news,” “faker news” or “fakest news.”

The first is ABC News’ story that claimed Trump told former national security adviser Michael Flynn to contact Russia before the election. ABC later corrected the story, clarifying that their source said Trump had asked Flynn “to find ways to repair relations with Russia and other hot spots.”

CORRECTION of ABC News Special Report: Flynn prepared to testify that President-elect Donald Trump directed him to make contact with the Russians *during the transition* — initially as a way to work together to fight ISIS in Syria, confidant now says. https://t.co/ewrkVZTu2K pic.twitter.com/URLiHf3uSm

— ABC News (@ABC) December 2, 2017

The next choice is CNN’s story that falsely claimed Donald Trump Jr. had received early access to WikiLeaks documents. The story was later corrected, noting that the date Trump Jr. received the email was misreported.

And the final story choice is Time Magazine’s report that Trump had a bust of Martin Luther King Jr. removed from the Oval Office. Reporter Zeke Miller tweeted his apology “to his colleagues” over the mistake.

Tweeting again: wh aide confirms the MLK bust is still there. I looked for it in the oval 2x & didn't see it. My apologies to my colleagues

— Zeke Miller (@ZekeJMiller) January 21, 2017

Poll takers also have the option to fill in the blank with any other news story they think should be crowned as the 2017 KING of Fake News.

“Americans are sick and tired of being lied to, insulted, and treated with outright condescension,” the email read, according to the Washington Examiner. “That’s why President Trump is crowning the 2017 King of Fake News before the end of the year. There’s no point in pretending that some journalists are anything more than peddlers of falsehoods and liberal propaganda.”

We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.