The 30-second ad is a black-and-white video of Trump walking down a hall over audio of his warnings against “the deep state,” “warmongers,” “globalists,” “Marxists,” “communists,” and “fascists.” Trump posted the same video on his Truth Social platform in 2023, but with one difference: Then, the monochromatic ad ended with words on screen calling on the viewer to join Trump’s campaign and fine print saying it was “Paid for by Donald J. Trump for President 2024, Inc.” This time, the 2026 ad says at the bottom: “Paid for by the U.S. Government.”
Another ad with the same “paid for by the U.S. government” disclaimer began airing on Wednesday. The ad, which featured the song “Love Me” by singer-songwriter JMSN, showed a montage of photos and videos of Trump, intercut with campaign talking points like “largest tax cuts in history” and “reigniting American manufacturing.” This ad, which CNBC reported also aired over the weekend, citing AdImpact data, has cost the federal government nearly $920,000 to date. It also apparently did not get the approval of JMSN, who posted on social media that he “would never authorize my music to be used for ANY political agenda or campaign.”
The ads appear to be part of a campaign blitz ahead of the November midterms, in which the GOP is hoping to defend its majorities in Congress.
When asked about the “Love Me” ad, Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina said that the use of taxpayer money was reminiscent of the far-right former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. “It’s inappropriate,” Tillis told reporters.
Democrats also raised questions. In a Sept. 24 letter to White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Sen. Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire demanded answers on the “Love Me” ad’s production cost, the agencies and external contractors involved, the source of funds, and the legal and ethical bases for the spot. Hassan wrote in her letter that the ad “does not have a clear official government purpose and appears to run afoul of federal prohibitions.” Sen. Andy Kim of New Jersey posted to social media about the black-and-white clip: “How much taxpayer money did the government spend on this ad?”
But the White House has defended the ads—which it called, in a Sept. 25 press release, “public service announcements.” A White House official told TIME Friday that the ads weren’t political, didn’t have a call to action, and that the President wasn't on the ballot.
What does the law say?
Since the 1950s, yearly funding bills—including the appropriations measure the President recently signed—routinely ban the use of taxpayer funds for “publicity or propaganda.”
Some lawmakers have pointed to potential violations of the Hatch Act, the 1939 act that limits the political activities of federal civilian employees in the executive branch. The President is exempt from the Hatch Act, though some argue that White House employees who facilitated the airing of the ads aren’t. Last week, the non-profit advocacy group Public Citizen filed a complaint before the GAO and the Office of Special Counsel, which is responsible for overseeing Hatch Act violations, seeking investigation and enforcement of relevant laws.
“When prior Administrations utilized the airwaves, it was called ‘public education,’” the Trump White House said. “When this Administration promotes pride in our country, many of those same voices call it ‘propaganda.’”
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