Television ads with a pro-Trump message — funded by the U.S. government — are expanding their reach ahead of November’s midterm elections, prompting bipartisan scrutiny over whether the campaign complies with federal restrictions on taxpayer-funded advertising and propaganda.
One of the ads — set to music repeating the words “Love me” — prominently features images of President Donald Trump as he says, “America will never be a communist country.” During the spot, campaign themes such as “the biggest tax cuts in history” flash across the screen.
According to advertising information company AdImpact, the commercial aired on national television over the weekend, including during CBS’ “Face the Nation” and at college football games. The government has so far spent nearly $920,000 on airing the ad.
At the end of the ad, a disclaimer states: “Paid for by the U.S. Government.” The source of the funding is not yet known.
A White House spokesman defended the ads as “public service announcements” designed to “remind Americans to love their country and understand why it is worth defending at home, at our borders and abroad.”
“The ad is educational and uncompromisingly patriotic. We should be proud of our country,” the spokesman said.
But the ads reflect the messages Republicans are expressing on the campaign trail ahead of November’s midterm elections. Many are trying to brand Democrats as “communists” while touting legislative victories like the “One, Big, Beautiful Bill” tax cut law – both major themes of the ad.
With just five weeks to go before the November elections, Democrats are ahead in the latest national public polls and are looking to strip Republicans of their majorities in both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
In a second ad, Trump says, “This is the final battle,” before rattling off a series of policy goals such as driving “the warmongers out of our government” and ridding “America of these villains once and for all.” The message comes from a 2024 digital ad that the Trump team ran during his second run for the White House – campaign promises he made before the war in Iran.
According to AdImpact, this ad has cost taxpayers more than $362,000 to date, airing during Sunday NFL football games and during “Fox News Sunday.”
Lawmakers on both sides have concerns that the ads are being paid for with taxpayer money, especially with the midterm elections just weeks away.
“The advertisement has no clear official government purpose and appears to conflict with federal prohibitions prohibiting the use of earmarked funds as part of a ‘general propaganda effort in support of a political party or candidates,’” Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., wrote in a letter to White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles on Thursday.
“This taxpayer-funded political ad is another troubling example of President Trump’s growing list of expensive luxury projects – including the White House Ballroom – estimated to cost over $1.8 billion, money that could have instead been spent on cutting costs for Americans,” the senator said.
Senior Democratic members of the Appropriations Committee, which distributes federal funds, also objected to the ads. Appropriations committees on Capitol Hill have routinely included language in state funding bills that prohibits the use of federal money for propaganda.
“If President Trump wants people to love him, he can pay for it himself,” these lawmakers said.
“No portion of the funds contained in this or any other Act may be used, directly or indirectly, including through private contractors, for any advertising or propaganda purpose within the United States not previously authorized by Congress,” the administration’s most recent funding bill states.
Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., also appeared to criticize the ad during an appearance on CBS’ “Face the Nation.”
“I don’t believe that any official, including President Trump or [former Homeland Security Secretary] “Kristi Noem or John Kennedy should spend public money on private advertising,” Kennedy said. “The White House sees it differently.”