The Trump administration has purchased and aired multiple taxpayer-funded television spots promoting President Donald Trump on a range of networks — including CNN and MSNBC — even though those outlets have been publicly criticized by the president in the past. The placements follow a short-lived White House ban on some outlets that a federal judge recently stayed, allowing the networks to resume some access.
What the Ads Say
Among the 30-second spots are two prominent ads: "The Country He Loves," which has aired in Los Angeles and New York, and "Final Battle," which has run in Washington, Philadelphia, New York and Los Angeles. According to data cited by The Washington Post and monitored by AdImpact, the ads include explicitly political language. In one spot Trump says, "Together, we will defeat communism, socialism and Marxism in America," while on-screen text touts the "largest tax cuts in history" and "reigniting American manufacturing." Another spot features vows to "demolish the deep state" and "rout the fake news media." Each spot displays the disclaimer: "Paid for by the U.S. government."
Scale And Cost
The administration reportedly bought 38 placements on MSNBC and 10 on CNN, and arranged thousands of additional airings on other networks over the past week, spending more than $2.87 million on the campaign, according to The Washington Post and AdImpact data.
Critics say the ads, which are running weeks before the November midterm elections, violate federal law because of their overtly political nature. The White House, meanwhile, has defended them as 'patriotic' public service announcements (White House)
Reactions And Legal Questions
The ads have prompted bipartisan criticism on Capitol Hill. Lawmakers from both parties have questioned whether taxpayer-funded messages that mirror campaign themes violate federal law or ethical rules. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) said on X that the ads "may be felony criminal theft and conversion of government property for political campaign purposes" and argued they could implicate the Hatch Act for federal employees involved in producing or placing them. The Hatch Act is a long-standing federal statute that limits partisan political activity by most federal employees.
"I don't think any public official — including President Trump or Kristi Noem or John Kennedy — should spend public money on private ads for themselves," said Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) in an interview with CBS News.
Some observers also noted that at least one of the government-funded spots closely resembles an ad the Trump campaign ran in 2024, raising additional concerns about whether the messaging crosses into campaign territory.
White House Response
The White House has defended the commercials as nonpartisan public service announcements. A White House official told The Independent that the PSAs are "clearly not political," noting that the president is not on the ballot and that the ads do not include a call to action. A White House spokesperson described the spots as "educational and unapologetically patriotic," intended to remind Americans what makes the country worth defending "at home, at our borders, and abroad." When asked about the ads, the president said they were "for the country" and added he would "gladly pay the money" if investigators determined the placements were funded improperly.
The controversy is likely to draw continued scrutiny from ethics officials, congressional investigators and the media as midterm elections approach.
