Trump taxpayer-funded ads face bipartisan criticism ahead of midterms

The White House is defending a government-funded television ad campaign featuring President Donald Trump as a public service announcement, even as Democratic lawmakers demand details about its cost and Republican Senator Thom Tillis calls it "inappropriate." The ads, which began airing Wednesday on Fox News and later on Newsmax and CBS, include a 30-second spot with a chorus singing "Love me" over images of Trump and messages such as "America will never be a communist country."

A White House official said the ads are not political because Trump is not on the ballot and they do not include a call to action. "These public service announcements are about reminding Americans to love their country and understand what makes it worth defending, at home, at our borders, and abroad," a spokesperson said, according to CBS News. The administration pointed to past PSAs, including a COVID vaccination message under President Biden and a Medicare campaign under George W. Bush.

But Democratic lawmakers say the ads violate federal law. Sen. Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire wrote to White House chief of staff Susie Wiles demanding information on the cost, contractors, and funding source, saying the ad "raises deep concerns about the Trump Administration's use of taxpayer dollars." Top Democratic appropriators, including Sen. Patty Murray and Rep. Rosa DeLauro, called the ad "the sort of government propaganda one might expect in North Korea" and demanded it be pulled from air.

The criticism is not limited to Democrats. Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, who is not running for reelection, told 1News the ad was "inappropriate" and likened it to something he would expect from former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. The White House has not disclosed the total cost or which agency paid for the ads, but AdImpact, a media tracking firm, estimated the initial buy at roughly $14,000, according to ABC News.

The first ad features the song "Love Me" by JMSN, who said on X that he did not authorize its use. "To anybody who has followed my career and knows what I stand for and built my career on, it should go without saying that I would never authorize my music to be used for ANY political agenda or campaign," he wrote. The ad also includes UFC CEO Dana White calling Trump "the toughest, most resilient person I've ever met."

A second ad, which aired Thursday and Friday, features clips from Trump's Fourth of July speech at Mount Rushmore and the line, "This is only the beginning of the golden age of America." The White House said the ads are "unapologetically American, clearly disclosed, and aimed at the country — not a line on the ballot." Campaign finance experts said the commercial likely does not violate election law, but questions remain about whether it violates restrictions on government propaganda.

Public Citizen, a progressive consumer rights group, filed a complaint with the Government Accountability Office alleging the ad violates federal appropriations law and the Hatch Act. Rep. Jamie Raskin, a Maryland Democrat, said on X that the ad "may be felony criminal theft and conversion of government property for political campaign purposes." The White House has not publicly identified the agency or appropriation used to finance the advertisements.