The Trump White House produced at least 13 campaign-style ads funded by taxpayers, with CNN obtaining 12 clips stored by contractor LMD. The spots — from 15 seconds to three minutes — include a three-minute "God Made Trump" video, a UFC-focused ad and military-themed pieces; each carries a "Paid for by the U.S. Government" label. AdImpact estimates about $2.5 million has been spent so far of a total $20 million allocation reportedly funded through Customs and Border Protection. The ads have prompted bipartisan criticism and watchdog scrutiny over possible violations of appropriations law, while the White House calls them public service announcements.
“God Made Trump” and Dozens More: Inside the White House’s $20M Taxpayer-Funded Ad Campaign
President Donald Trump speaks on screens during the first day of the Republican Midterm Convention at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas on Wednesday, September 9. - Al Drago/Bloomberg/Getty Images
The Trump White House produced at least 13 campaign-style advertisements paid for with taxpayer funds, according to documents and video clips obtained by CNN. The clips — 12 of which were stored in a Dropbox account maintained by ad contractor LMD — range from 15 seconds to three minutes and each ends with the on-screen label: "Paid for by the U.S. Government." At least three of the spots have already aired on major networks.
What the Ads Show
The videos mix presidential imagery, patriotic visuals and positive news excerpts. Recurring motifs include military graduations, flyovers, fireworks over Mount Rushmore, footage of the border wall and scenes from campaign rallies. First Lady Melania Trump is featured in multiple spots. Some ads highlight foreign-policy events (a "Maduro" spot and pieces linked to Iran and Venezuela), while others emphasize cultural moments such as a "UFC 250" video about the fight held at the White House.
As part of its controversial taxpayer-funded ad campaign, President Donald Trump's White House created a spot titled "UFC" that showcases the June match held at the White House. - Obtained by CNN
Notable Spots
"God Made Trump" — A three-minute, quasi-messianic piece that aired at the Republican midterm convention in Dallas and was reportedly created by the Dilley Meme Team. The voiceover riffs on Paul Harvey’s "God Made a Farmer."
"Resilience" — A montage tracing Mr. Trump’s life and career, including early New York real estate footage, his 2015 campaign escalator moment and his 2023 Fulton County mugshot.
As part of its controversial taxpayer-funded ad campaign, the White House created a spot titled "Resilience" that shows President Donald Trump's progression from a younger man in the New York real estate market to the US president. - Obtained by CNN
"King of the Jungle" — A roughly two-minute montage juxtaposing images of Trump with footage of political opponents and dramatic wildlife imagery.
Other clips include "Military Hype," "Maduro," "UFC 250," and a spot called "Final Battle" that has aired recently but was not included in the Dropbox files provided to CNN.
As part of its controversial taxpayer-funded ad campaign, President Donald Trump's White House created a spot titled "King of the Jungle" that intersperses images of Trump, campaign rallies, lions and eagles. - Obtained by CNN
Production And Oversight
Sources told CNN that the White House video team in the communications office produced many of the ads and that Mr. Trump personally weighed in on imagery and clip selection. At least one ad was produced by an outside pro-Trump meme group. The files obtained were managed by LMD, the agency contracted to buy the ad time.
Cost, Funding And Disclosure
Ad-tracking firm AdImpact estimates roughly $2.5 million in taxpayer money has already been spent on the ads; a total of $20 million has been allocated for the campaign. Two people familiar with the matter told CNN that funds are coming from U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Because many of the spots are being run as public service announcements, they are subject to different disclosure rules than typical campaign buys, complicating efforts to fully determine the cost.
As part of its controversial taxpayer-funded ad campaign, President Donald Trump's White House created a spot titled "God Made Trump," which portrays him as a messianic figure. - Obtained by CNN
Political And Legal Reaction
The ads have drawn bipartisan criticism. Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin called the effort potentially criminal and said it could amount to "theft and conversion of government property for political campaign purposes." Some Republicans also objected: Sen. Thom Tillis said taxpayer money should not substitute for campaign spending, and Sen. John Cornyn said the ads are plainly an inappropriate use of public funds.
Watchdog groups argue the ads may violate appropriations law that bars federal funds from being used for propaganda or partisan communications. It remains unclear whether advocacy groups have standing to sue, and Congress has not yet moved to block the buys.
White House Response
The White House has defended the videos as public service announcements and, when pressed, pointed reporters to a recently posted compilation of the president criticizing CNN. Officials have disputed that the ads are campaign messaging, saying they inform the public about administration priorities and actions.
Bottom line: The ad campaign raises questions about how public funds are being used for messaging that frequently highlights the president and his allies. Investigations and oversight are likely if congressional control changes.
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