A children's guide to Donald Trump's first term in office is continuing to be publicized on conservative media, describing the former president as bucking "political correctness" and not worrying about hurting others' feelings.
The Kids Guide to President Trump, a children's book that will "help your kids to understand everything President Trump has already accomplished for America," was released in March 2022. It was produced by Florida-based EverBright Media, a company run by Trump ally and former Republican Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.
The book and others released under the Kids Guide umbrella have been accused of pushing "conservative propaganda" to children. Congressional hearings on book censorship accelerated as schools were closed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In that time more than 60 educational gag orders were introduced during a 1-year period between 2021 and 2022 to "prohibit teachers from discussing certain topics related to race, sex, and American history in the classroom." Book bans have become prevalent in certain states, in additional to temporary bans requiring input from local and statewide officials.
"President Trump's personality in office was distinctive and unlike most politicians," the book reads. "As a man who believes in the First Amendment, Trump shared his views without worrying about 'political correctness.'
"President Trump knew that our nation was founded on the open exchange of ideas and that censorship was the enemy of democracy. As president, he often used social media to speak directly to America and wasn't concerned about hurting people's feelings when he talked about his policies."
As the former president gears up for another term in the White House in anticipation of the November general election, the book continues to appear on right-leaning networks including Fox News, Newsmax, One American News Network and Blaze Media.
Newsweek has reached out to EverBright via email for comment.
Other subjects included in the Kids Guide series include immigration, coronavirus and vaccination, Christmas in America, Easter in America, President Joe Biden, Fighting Socialism, Elon Musk, Democrats and Republicans, Our One Nation Under God and others in a series of Bible- and Christian-related literature.
In 2020, the book about coronavirus reportedly helped Huckabee and EverBright's bottom lines after the Arkansas Department of Education made a $245,300 deal with the publisher to distribute the material to Arkansas schools, according to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. EverBright was founded in 2011 by Huckabee, Arkansas governor from 1996 to 2007.
Another book titled Kids Guide to the Truth About Climate Change has received criticism, claimed by opponents to be a conduit for spreading climate misinformation to youth.
"Our kids are terrified that the planet is facing a death sentence due to climate change, and they're hearing that it could happen in their lifetime!" reads a section of the book, released in 2023. "As their teachers and the media are pushing an agenda that promotes fear and panic, kids need to understand the facts behind climate change so they can feel safe."
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