Trumps refund for 'Love Me' ads doesn't land

President Donald Trump declared support for controversial taxpayer-funded ads, but there are no indications he plans to reimburse the millions of federal dollars already spent on them. Nearly $12 million worth of ads have already aired, part of the initial $20 million allocated by the Department of Homeland Security for the contract.

The ads, which began broadcasting in late September, highlight President Trump and align with his political messaging ahead of the midterms. They include clips of Trump discussing communism, a replay of an ad from his previous presidential campaign and a recent ad celebrating the administration's capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.

Though Trump's strategy to fund the ads using his political war chest, MAGA Inc., doesn't imply a reimbursement for the spent funds, a White House official stated. Trump's comments on Tuesday suggested he would decide on reimbursing the funds, while Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer criticized the president's lack of commitment to refunding the money and called for an investigation into what he deemed as illegal coordination with Trump's super PAC.

The ads have drawn criticism from both Republicans and Democrats, who argue they are not a suitable use of taxpayer money. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, a Republican, argued they should not be paid for with U.S. government money. In reaction, two leading Democratic senators expressed their concerns last week, stating that the funds were misappropriated from Trump's campaign war chest, intended for the U.S. Customs and Border Protection.