Nashville Newspaper Under Fire for Publishing False Ad Claiming 'Islam Is Going to Detonate a Nuclear Device'

The Nashville Tennessean, the most widely circulated newspaper in Tennessee, is under fire Sunday [...]

By Daniel S. Levine

The Nashville Tennessean, the most widely circulated newspaper in Tennessee, is under fire Sunday morning after publishing an advertisement written by a possible Christian doomsday cult, which erroneously claims "Islam" will detonate a nuclear bomb in Nashville on July 18. The Tennessean, which is part of the USA Today Network, launched an investigation into the "horrific" ad. Several journalists who work for the paper took to Twitter to denounce the ad and demand answers.

The shocking and bizarre advertisement featured a banner with President Donald Trump and Pope Francis and was addressed to the "Citizens of Nashville." It begins with the "Ministry of Future for America" claiming that "Islam is going to detonate a nuclear device in Nashville, Tennessee." The group further claims it knows about this because of a "Bible prophecy" and predicted Trump will be the "final president of the USA."

After a tweet with the ad went viral, The Tennessean announced plans to launch an investigation into how the ad ended up in the paper. Sales executives ordered the ad to be pulled from all future editions and said the ad was a "violation of the newspaper's long-established standards." Michael A. Anastasi, vice president and editor of The Tennessean, said there was a "breakdown in the normal processes, which call for careful scrutiny of our advertising content."

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"The ad is horrific and is utterly indefensible in all circumstances. It is wrong, period, and should have never been published," Anastasi continued. "It has hurt members of our community and our own employees and that saddens me beyond belief. It is inconsistent with everything The Tennessean as an institution stands and has stood for."

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Many Tennessean reporters also denounced the ad and reminded readers they do not operate with the sales team. Reporter Natalie Allison called it "appalling" and felt "sick seeing replies right now from people canceling subscriptions." Journalists at the paper "work to raise marginalized voices and call out injustice," reporter Adam Tamburin wrote. "It's heartbreaking to all of us when decisions beyond our control subvert that mission. We will demand answers."

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