Ahead of the mid-term elections in the United States, the Trump administration has produced as many as 13 campaign-style ads as part of its controversial taxpayer-funded, multi-million-dollar effort to promote President Donald Trump and his policies, reports CNN. Some of the ads that are yet-to-be-aired include ads highlighting the US military and operations in Iran and Venezuela, one called “God Made Trump” and another recapping the UFC fight he hosted at the White House.
The Department of Homeland Security tapping $20 million to pay for the campaign-style ads glorifying President Donald Trump. This has invited criticism from both Democrats and they have raised concerns as to why so much taxpayers money are being spent on the advertisements. The White House has defended the campaign as "public service announcements", the CNN report said. The unusual ad campaign comes as Republicans face an increasingly volatile midterm election season with their control of the House and Senate.
What does the Trump ad shows?
CNN has obtained clips of 12 ads, which range from 15 seconds to three minutes long. Two of them have already been aired. The ads appeared in a Dropbox account and are being run by LMD, the agency that has been given the government contract for the ad buys. Each video ends with the words “Paid for by the US Government” at the bottom of the screen.
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Television ads funded with federal money and produced by the Trump administration have also aired on CNN and MS NOW. One of the ads, titled “The Country He Loves,” is 30 seconds long. In the message, Trump says that the United States must defeat “communism, socialism and Marxism.” The ad aired on MS NOW in Los Angeles and on CNN in Los Angeles and Albany, New York.
A second ad, “Final Battle,” features Trump speaking about the “deep state,” “warmongers” and “globalists.” According to AdImpact, it aired on MS NOW in the Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia and Washington markets, and once on CNN in Los Angeles.
Most of the administration’s advertising purchases were made on CBS, Fox, NBC, ABC and Fox News. AdImpact recorded 38 purchases on MS NOW and 10 on CNN. First lady Melania Trump appears in several of the advertisements. Other footage includes Trump's announcement of reciprocal tariffs, the US-Mexico border wall, his 2015 presidential campaign launch and a framed image depicting former President Joe Biden's autopen signature on Trump's “Presidential Walk of Fame”.
White House's response on Trump's ads
The White House says the ads are intended to remind Americans of the importance of loving their country and understanding why it must be defended domestically, at the borders and abroad. The White House has previously emphasized that Trump is not a candidate in the 2026 elections and that the ads do not contain an explicit call to vote.
The spending has nevertheless drawn objections from lawmakers from both parties and the attention of experts in law and public funding. The debate also concerns federal rules governing the use of funds appropriated by Congress for advertising and propaganda activities.
For his part, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr said that the ads do not raise issues requiring action by the agency.
Trump ads corrupt use of taxpayers' dollars
In a letter Tuesday to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, two top Democratic senators said that the money is being drawn from Trump's so-called "One Big Beautiful Bill" and was supposed to go for U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
"We should not have to remind you that using government funding to create or air political ads like the ones that have been running over the last few days is illegal and a shockingly corrupt misuse of taxpayer dollars," wrote Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, and Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut, the ranking Democrat on the subcommittee that handles Homeland Security funding.
The senators, in their letter to Mullin, demanded answers within the next 48 hours about "how this president is literally stealing their tax dollars to air campaign ads celebrating himself."
They asked the secretary if the department plans to use additional federal funds to air these ads or create new ones, and if so to share contracting information with the Congress. They also asked Mullin if he had spoken to Trump about using the taxpayer funds for the ads.
Trump ads spark criticism
Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin, the ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, said in a post on X that the ads “may be felony criminal theft and conversion of government property for political campaign purposes.” If Democrats take control of the House next year, Raskin would gain congressional subpoena power.
The campaign has also attracted criticism from Republicans. “Look, if you want to spend money out of your super PAC or other campaign account to communicate that message, that’s fine. It’s not an appropriate PSA. It’s just not, you know, it’s not how we should be spending taxpayer dollars,” said Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina. Sen. John Cornyn of Texas has also said “no” when asked whether the advertisements are an appropriate use of taxpayer money. “It’s not even a close question.”
