Donald Trump debuts campaign's first radio ads
Donald Trump aired the first radio ads of his 2016 presidential campaign early Thursday morning.
"Our country is in deep trouble because let's face it: politicians are all talk and no action. My opponents have no experience in creating jobs or making deals," Trump says in one radio spot previewed by MSNBC on Thursday.
As soaring orchestral music plays, Trump promises that he'll "make the greatest trade deals we've ever made in our country" and that he would "bring jobs and money back to the United States."
The minute-long spot hits on other major conservative priorities: Trump vows to secure the border (and, he adds, "yes, we will have a wall"), protect Second Amendment gun rights and religious liberties, and repeal and replace the "total disaster" of Obamacare.
The ad appears to be directed specifically at Iowa voters, where fellow White House contender Ben Carson has caught up to Trump's lead in recent polls of likely caucus-goers.
"If the people of Iowa vote for me, you'll never be disappointed," Trump says in the spot. "I don't disappoint people. I produce."
In another radio ad, a female announcer delivers a similar message: "Donald Trump is running for president because politicians and are all talk and no action. They will never make our country great again." The ad continues to lay out Trump's immigration policies and defense agenda, promising that the GOP contender "will protect Israel, and brutally and quickly cut the head off of ISIS."
The spot also mentions the real estate mogul's largely self-funded campaign and pledges that he "will only be responsible to the American people -- not special interests and lobbyists."
The two 60-second ads will run in Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina starting Thursday and running through the end of November. The ad buy will cost the campaign $300,000.
In a statement Wednesday, Trump boasted that "because of the success my campaign has had, I haven't had to spend any of" the $20 million dollars had been allocated to advertising.
"I am so honored to say that I have spent less money than any candidate in either party and at the same time, have the best result - Number One!" he said.
The advertising campaign in early-voting states comes just as Donald Trump finds himself in a dead heat with Carson in national polls.
Trump also appeared in a phone interview on MSNBC after the ads made their debut on the television network. On reports that the billionaire has courted donors in the past and is not entirely self-funding his campaign, Trump said the had "had one conversation with Sheldon Adelson."
CBS News' Katiana Krawchenko contributed to this report.