Trump backs down on taxpayer funded ads and now says his PAC will pay for them

President Donald Trump announced Monday that his political action committee will take over funding for a series of national television advertisements that had previously been paid for with government funds.The decision follows growing criticism over the spots, which were financed through a $20 million Department of Homeland Security contract awarded on September 20 to LMD Agency. According to public records first reported by The Washington Sun, the White House Office of Management and Budget had transferred $20 million to Customs and Border Protection for “OBBB Commemorative Events” a day prior.Data from ad-tracking firm AdImpact shows that more than $10 million in taxpayer money has been spent on the campaign since September, with ads appearing across both cable and broadcast networks bearing the disclaimer “Paid for by the U.S. Government.”The broadcasts spanned multiple themes, CBS News reported, including one spot featuring Trump stating, “We will defeat communism, socialism and Marxism in America,” over flashing photos of the president, and another recounting the U.S. capture of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.Critics from both parties raised concerns that the campaign violated federal restrictions against using public funds for propaganda or promotional purposes. Observers noted that at least one spot included video clips previously featured in a 2024 Trump campaign advertisement.Donald Trump criticized opponents who objected to using public funds for the national broadcast campaign, calling the promotional spots ‘a rather standard thing to do’ (AFP/Getty)In a letter last month, a group of Senate Democrats condemned the effort, writing: “This is the sort of government propaganda one might expect in North Korea, not the United States of America, and it is an egregious and illegal misuse of Americans’ hard-earned tax dollars.”Republicans also voiced concern. “I don’t think any public official, including President Trump or Kristi Noem or John Kennedy, should spend public money on private ads for themselves,” GOP Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana said on “Face the Nation.”The White House repeatedly defended the campaign, insisting the spots were public service announcements rather than political promotion. A White House official stated last month that the spots “are clearly not political,” adding: “The President is not on the ballot and the ads don’t have a call to action.” A White House spokesperson further described the anti-communism ad as “educational and unapologetically patriotic. We should be proud of our country.”Trump acknowledged the criticism surrounding the campaign Monday on Truth Social. “The Radical Left is upset with the fact that I am taking Ads, which I consider to be a positive promotion for our Great U.S.A., and paying for them with U.S.A. money,” he wrote. “This is a rather standard thing to do but, rather than doing that, although nothing will make them happy, I have decided to do the Patriotic Ads, among others, and pay for them myself, and with money I raised for MAGA, Inc.”The move marks a shift from comments made just days prior. Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump defended the original funding source, arguing that the broadcasts were intended to promote the nation rather than a candidate, as reported by The New York Times. During those remarks, however, he noted that he would gladly cover the expenses if the arrangement was deemed improper. Over the weekend, The New York Times reported that Trump had directly instructed his budget director to allocate public funds for the television spots.The super PAC financing the transition possesses substantial capital to absorb the costs. According to AdImpact, MAGA Inc. entered September with roughly $415 million on hand and, together with two affiliated super PACs, has reserved approximately $194 million for upcoming advertising. However, diverting super PAC funds to cover the ads uses money Republican strategists had hoped to direct toward key midterm contests, such as the Texas Senate race.Trump previously said that he is “going to spend whatever amount of money necessary to try and help us.”