Trump Says Future Promotional Ads Will Not Use Taxpayer Funds, Rules Out Reimbursement

President Donald Trump said future television advertisements promoting him and his administration would be funded personally and through MAGA Inc., the super PAC aligned with him, after lawmakers from both parties criticized the use of taxpayer money for the campaign-style messages.

Trump called the advertisements a “positive promotion” of the United States and described government funding for them as standard. The White House has characterized the spots as public service announcements explaining administration policies and has cited advertising by previous administrations.

On Tuesday, however, White House officials said Trump’s announcement applied only to future spending and that neither he nor MAGA Inc. planned to reimburse the government for money already spent. The New York Times reported that the government had spent more than $10 million on the ads. Congressional Democrats have said the Department of Homeland Security transferred $20 million to support the campaign, while Deutsche Welle reported that at least $1.5 million in federal funds had been spent.

The ads began airing in late September and end with notices saying they were paid for by the U.S. government. They promote Trump’s policies and include warnings about a “final battle” against political enemies. Critics have questioned whether they violate federal restrictions on taxpayer-funded propaganda or partisan activity. Republican Senate Majority Leader John Thune said he liked the message but opposed paying for it with taxpayer funds. A Reuters/Ipsos poll found 86% of U.S. adults considered the spending inappropriate.