Sinclair Broadcast Group’s Boris Epshteyn celebrated Presidents Day by releasing a new “must-run” segment suggesting President Donald Trump’s face ought to be added on Mount Rushmore.  

In the segment, Epshteyn argued that “we are lucky” to have Trump as president and that the Trump administration “so far has been … one of the most successful in our nation’s history.” Epshteyn, a former Trump aide who has signed a nondisparagement agreement that may prevent him from criticizing the president, concluded, “In just over two years of the Trump administration, we have seen great progress benefiting Americans. If this keeps up, much to the chagrin of many Democrats, the presidents on Mount Rushmore may have to make room for a new addition.”

BORIS EPSHTEYN: Presidents Day is an important holiday for us to reflect upon those who we have elected to the highest office in our land. We are lucky to currently have a leader in President Trump, whose term so far has been, I would argue, one of the most successful in our nation’s history.



The president has achieved tangible, concrete, quality-of-life improvements for the American people no matter the political cost. His disruption of the status quo has stirred many of his detractors. Despite what some liberals and many in the media may say, the Trump administration has taken strides to ensure that our country is thriving for all Americans.



Since President Trump took office, the female unemployment rate has reached its lowest in approximately 65 years. American worker satisfaction is the highest since 2005. Unemployment among disabled Americans is at an all-time low, and the median income for Hispanic Americans has increased by nearly 4 percent. The president has circumvented partisanship and has tackled, head-on, human issues such as the opioid crisis in our country and criminal justice reform.



Unfortunately, the spirit of bipartisanship has been largely missing, as many on the left and those in the media have put their love of our great country second to their personal hatred of our president. Despite all of that, President Trump is still getting results.



Here’s the bottom line: In just over two years of the Trump administration, we have seen great progress benefiting Americans. If this keeps up, much to the chagrin of many Democrats, the presidents on Mount Rushmore may have to make room for a new addition.

According to a Media Matters search of the iQ media database, the segment has aired on at least 50 stations in at least 28 states since the evening of February 18 -- and for what appears to be the first time, it was paired with a contrasting commentary segment from Sinclair’s new liberal commentator, Ameshia Cross.

Cross’ segment, called “Cross Point,” aired alongside Epshteyn’s segment on Sinclair stations and covered the same topic. It appears the segments will play off each other and will now run with an on-screen disclaimer from Sinclair telling viewers that the opinions in the commentary segments don’t necessarily represent the views of the broadcasting giant.

For example, here is how Cross’s segment was framed on a Sinclair-controlled station in Beaumont, TX:

Epshteyn’s full segment aired later in the same newscast.

The addition of Cross’ segment to the “must-run” lineup unintentionally underscores the company's blatant journalistic malpractice. For the past two years, the only regular “must-run” commentary Sinclair's local news viewers saw came from Epshteyn -- and it was presented without context or counterpoint.