The White House has launched a federally funded television advertising campaign celebrating Donald Trump’s presidency, including a spot praising military strikes in Iran, drawing bipartisan ethics complaints, congressional demands for an immediate halt, and a watchdog complaint ahead of the November midterms.
A new wave of government-sponsored television commercials featuring President Donald Trump has sparked an intense clash over public funds, federal propaganda laws, and campaign ethics. The administration has spent millions of dollars on airtime across national networks, using taxpayer resources to broadcast messages that critics from both political parties argue are thinly veiled political ads designed to influence the midterm elections.
The campaign expanded on Wednesday night during a commercial break on Fox News, where a one-minute spot aired celebrating the president’s decision to go to war with Iran. The advertisement features audio from Trump’s February 28 declaration of major combat operations, warning foreign adversaries that no one should challenge the might of the United States Armed Forces, alongside remarks from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
If you kill Americans, if you threaten Americans anywhere on Earth, we will hunt you down without apology and without hesitation and we will kill you. We didn’t start this war, but under President Trump, we are finishing it. Their war on Americans has become our retribution against their ayatollah.
Pete Hegseth, US defense secretary
The Iran-focused spot is just one of several federally funded ads hitting the airwaves. Another commercial recycled from Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign warns viewers of a final battle. A third spot features Trump declaring that America will never be a communist country, accompanied by on-screen text highlighting tax cuts and economic policies while the song Love me
plays in the background.
White House Defends Ads as Patriotic Public Service Announcements
Facing mounting criticism from lawmakers and watchdog groups, President Trump defended the advertising campaign on September 30 during remarks in the Oval Office. He insisted that the commercials do not promote his electoral prospects or a specific candidate because he is not on the ballot.
When I’m talking about making America great, making our country great, that’s a countrywide ad. That’s an ad for the spirit of our country. Now, if somebody said that that’s wrong, I’ll gladly pay the money. But these are ads for the country. You’ve got to understand, I’m not promoting a candidate. I’m not promoting myself, because I’m not running for office. I’m promoting the country.
President Donald Trump
White House officials have maintained that the television spots are standard public service announcements aimed at reminding citizens to value their nation. White House communications director Steven Cheung dismissed media scrutiny on social media, writing on X that the public should not let the Fake News get away with their lies about our epic Public Service Announcements that have been running on television.
To justify the spending, the administration pointed to past executive branch communication campaigns, such as the Obama administration’s promotion of the Affordable Care Act and the Biden administration’s COVID-19 vaccination outreach efforts. However, legal experts and critics note that previous administrative PSAs focused on specific federal programs and benefits rather than featuring the sitting president’s personal political grievances and recycled campaign slogans.
Bipartisan Backlash on Capitol Hill Over Funding and Legality
The use of federal resources to produce and broadcast the advertisements has triggered rare bipartisan condemnation in Congress. While Democrats labeled the commercials illegal propaganda, several high-ranking Republicans also distanced themselves from the tactic.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune told reporters that while he appreciated the patriotic messaging, it shouldn’t be paid for with taxpayer dollars. Republican Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana similarly stated on CBS News that you can’t spend public money to promote yourself, while retiring North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis told reporters that he “hates” the ads.
Democratic appropriators, led by House Appropriations ranking member Rosa DeLauro and Homeland Security Subcommittee ranking member Henry Cuellar, revealed that the administration funded the campaign using Customs and Border Protection funding. The funding comes from last year’s budget reconciliation law.
A group of top congressional Democrats, including Senator Patty Murray, formally demanded that White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles immediately halt the broadcasts and report to committees exactly how many taxpayer dollars were spent creating and airing what they termed illegal political propaganda in direct violation of the Consolidated Appropriations Act.
Public Citizen Files Complaints over Administration Ads
Outside of Congress, watchdog organizations have taken formal legal action against the administration. The consumer advocacy group Public Citizen filed complaints arguing that the spots violate federal prohibitions against using public appropriations for self-aggrandizement and publicity. The group also contends the ads run afoul of the Hatch Act, which restricts federal employees from engaging in partisan political activities.
Despite the complaints lodged with federal agencies, the Federal Communications Commission indicated it would not intervene. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr dismissed calls for an investigation during a press briefing, stating that the commercials represent normal course PSAs that do not raise red flags or merit regulatory review.
Anna Gomez, a Democratic commissioner on the FCC, offered a different perspective, telling reporters that she understood why citizens viewed the broadcasts as political advertising while noting her skepticism that the agency would take action.
Meanwhile, legal troubles mounted for the administration on another front when attorneys for musical artist JMSN issued a cease-and-desist letter to the White House on September 28, demanding that officials immediately stop using his song Love Me in the broadcast spots.
| Ad Campaign Spot | Featured Content & Messaging | Identified Disclosures & Sparing Costs |
|---|---|---|
| Iran War Spot | Features audio from Trump’s February 28 declaration of major combat operations and remarks by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. | Paid for by the U.S. Government; tracked by AdImpact across national networks. |
| Final Battle Spot | Recycled 2024 campaign footage showing Trump walking down a hallway warning of a final battle. | Cost taxpayers more than $362,000 according to AdImpact tracking data. |
| Communist Warning Spot | Features Trump declaring America will never be a communist country, backed by the song Love Me and tax cut boasts. | Paid for by the U.S. Government; aired during national broadcasts and NFL games. |