The US government is spending millions of taxpayer dollars to air pro-Trump television ads as midterm elections approach, drawing criticism from Democratic senators and ethics watchdogs.
The spots, funded through the Department of Homeland Security, feature Donald Trump as a hero, warn of a potential communist takeover, and attack the news media and political enemies. While not explicitly campaign ads, critics say they function as such.
Lawmakers and experts cry foul
Democratic senators Patty Murray and Chris Murphy on Tuesday called the ads “a shockingly corrupt use of taxpayer dollars”. Experts suggest the funding may be illegal and is certainly unethical, lacking the public service message the White House claims.
The ads closely fit the defining characteristics of propaganda, including “self-aggrandizement” and “puffery”, as described by the government accounting office. However, agencies that could act, including the FCC, have shown no intention to investigate. FCC chair Brendan Carr has shrugged off questions, calling the ads normal.
Congress and Republican response
With Republican majorities in both houses of Congress, the use of taxpayer money is likely to go unpunished for now. Donald Sherman, who heads Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics (Crew) in Washington, noted that Congress “has not asserted itself as the first branch of government with the power of the purse to hold the president accountable”. Some Republican members have questioned the ads, but there is no bipartisan outrage.
The Trump administration remains defiant, with one official telling Axios, “This is just the beginning.”
Ads mirror campaign content
One ad is a rerun of a Trump campaign commercial from before the 2024 presidential election, with an added line: “paid for by the US government”. It shows black-and-white images of Trump walking, promising to “throw off the sick political class that hates our country” and “rout out the fake news media”.
Another ad features Trump at public events with a voiceover insisting “America will never be a communist country”, while the song Love Me plays. R&B artist JMSN has denied authorizing the use and issued a cease-and-desist demand. A third ad, reported by the Guardian’s Robert Tait, shows Mount Rushmore with Trump boasting: “The United States of America is the most successful, most accomplished, most exceptional nation ever to exist in human history.”
The White House described the ads as “educational and unapologetically patriotic” and termed them “public service announcements”. They have aired on networks including Fox, Newsmax, MS Now and CBS, with The Wall Street Journal reporting over 90 airings by last weekend.
Potential consequences
The ads may be illegal and have drawn criticism, but accountability is lacking. With Trump’s approval ratings low and voter discontent over the Iran war and rising costs, Democrats could seize a majority in one or both houses of Congress, potentially imposing restraints on the administration. That prospect may explain the administration’s aggressive push to air the ads now.
