Scoop: Trump's hand-picked, taxpayer-funded ads about to ramp up
President Trump is personally selecting which government-funded ads his administration is airing ahead of the midterms — with more to come, Axios has learned. "This is just the beginning," an administration official told Axios. Why it matters: The seemingly partisan nature of the taxpayer-funded ads — which come a little more than a month before the midterms — has drawn bipartisan pushback.…
President Trump is personally selecting government-funded ads to air ahead of the midterms, according to Axios. This move, seen as potentially partisan, has sparked bipartisan criticism. Trump, known for his fixation on television, has taken a hands-on role in producing the ads within the White House. The ads, beginning airing on September 23, highlight Trump's record and campaign rhetoric, warning against communism, socialism, and Marxism.
One ad mirrors a 2024 Trump campaign ad, but replaces the campaign sponsorship with a disclaimer: "Paid for by the U.S. Government." The Department of Homeland Security is funding the ads using existing budget money. At least $2.5 million has been spent, with the ads airing over 2,000 times on broadcast networks and more than 50 times on cable.
The largest ad buy was on Fox's NFL coverage, with 340 airings. The ads have faced backlash from within the GOP and Democratic lawmakers, with the latter calling them an illegal use of taxpayer funds and government propaganda. However, the administration argues that the outrage is part of the point, as every time the ads are covered, they receive free additional airtime.
Written by urgent.news from Axios's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
