The former New York City mayor from 2002 to 2013 and a candidate in the Democratic Party primaries for the 2020 United States presidential election, Michael Bloomberg was set to release a 60-second ad focusing on his efforts to combat gun violence, at the same time, the President’s ad would highlight how America has become Stronger, Safer, and More Prosperous under his administration. President Trump has now attacked Michael Bloomberg for wasting his money after the billionaire presidential hopeful bought a Super Bowl advertisement costing $10 million. It is a similar amount the president’s campaign spent on advertising during the big game. It is noteworthy that Trump’s re-election campaign also purchased an additional 30-second ad to run during the Super Bowl.
Trump slammed Bloomberg in a series of tweets before the Super Bowl. He called him Mini Mike and claimed the newcomer to the Democratic primaries was part of the Fake News. Trump tweeted, “Mini Mike is part of the Fake News. They are all working together. In fact, Bloomberg isn’t covering himself or other Dems. Only Trump, that sounds fair! It’s all the Fake News Media, and that’s why nobody believes in them anymore”. Trump added that Bloomberg was going nowhere, just wasti4ng his money. He alleged Bloomberg without evidence he was somehow getting the Democratic National Committee to rig the election against (offensive nickname for Bernie Sanders) Crazy Bernie.
Bloomberg has largely funded his presidential campaign with his own money. He said in a statement that he selected an entire minute during the coveted advertising slot to devote gun safety because it matters to communities across the country and it will be a top priority for him as the U.S President. Bloomberg added, “All Americans including people in both parties and a majority of gun owners support universal background checks and other common-sense gun laws”. Moreover, he launched a late bid for the White House after switching parties in 2018 and spending millions in support of Democratic campaigns during the midterms. Reports have indicated that Bloomberg has already spent at least $250 million in ads after announcing his campaign in November 2019.