Trump says super PAC will pay for taxpayer-funded pro-Trump ads after backlash
Version 3: New documents add detail on spending and payment: AP and The Guardian US put the federal cost at at least $1.5 million, NBC News reports a $20 million contract awarded to LMD Agency and that one ad was virtually identical to a 2024 campaign spot, and the White House says MAGA Inc. will pay going forward while declining to say whether past spending will be reimbursed.
In short
President Trump said Monday he will stop using taxpayer funds for television ads promoting him and instead pay for them himself and with money raised for MAGA, Inc., his super PAC. The ads drew criticism from Republicans and Democrats, and outlets reported differing figures for how much federal money was spent, from at least $1.5 million to a reported up-to-$20 million shifted from the Department of Homeland Security. The White House said MAGA Inc. will pay for such ads going forward but did not say whether money already spent would be reimbursed.
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President Trump said Monday that he will stop using taxpayer funds for television advertisements promoting him and instead pay for them himself and with money raised for MAGA, Inc., his super PAC. CBS News, CNBC, CNN, The New York Times, Bloomberg, ABC News, The Washington Post, AP, The Seattle Times, NBC News and The Guardian US all reported the statement, which Trump made in a post on Truth Social. Bloomberg, The Washington Post, NBC News and ABC News described it as a reversal. [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 ]
“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,” Trump 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.” [ 1 , 3 , 6 , 9 , 11 ]
The documents give differing figures for the federal money involved. CNBC reported the ads had been funded from what reportedly is up to $20 million from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. AP and The Guardian US said the ads cost at least $1.5 million in federal funds. CNN reported that at least an estimated $10.1 million in taxpayer dollars had been spent as of Monday, according to the ad-tracking firm AdImpact, and NBC News cited an AdImpact estimate of at least $10 million. CNBC said the ads ran in the weeks leading up to November's midterm elections, which will determine whether Republicans keep their majorities in both chambers of Congress. [ 3 , 6 , 9 , 11 , 12 ]
CNBC reported that the announcement came three days after The New York Times, citing people familiar with the matter, reported that Trump personally instructed his budget director to use taxpayer money for TV ads praising him and his presidency. The Times said federal money for the ads became available on Sept. 19, when the Office of Management and Budget shifted $20 million in Customs and Border Protection funds to a budget category called One Big Beautiful Bill Commemorative Events, according to CNBC. CNBC also quoted Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., writing in a Sept. 24 letter to White House chief of staff Susie Wiles that the advertisement “does not have a clear official government purpose and appears to run afoul of federal prohibitions against the use of appropriated funds.” [ 3 ]
CNN reported that the administration had created at least 13 campaign-style ads promoting Trump and his policies, that it obtained clips of 12 of them from a Dropbox account run by LMD, the agency awarded the government contract for the ad buys, and that each ends with the words “Paid for by the U.S. Government.” Spots yet to air include three highlighting the U.S. military and operations in Iran and Venezuela, one titled “God Made Trump” and one recapping a UFC fight Trump hosted at the White House, CNN reported. NBC News reported that one of the spots was virtually identical to a 2024 Trump campaign ad and that LMD Agency was awarded a $20 million contract for the new ads, with the purpose listed as a “national media campaign.” [ 6 , 11 ]
The White House, which had defended the spots as public service announcements, said Monday night that MAGA Inc. will pay for such ads going forward; a White House official said “Presidential Public service announcements are nothing new.” AP reported that Trump provided no details on reimbursing taxpayers for ads that already aired, or on how his political organization would pay for future advertising, and that the White House did not answer questions on how it or Trump might prove his political funds were being used. NBC News said MAGA Inc. did not immediately respond to an inquiry about whether the government would be reimbursed, and that the White House did not answer that question either. AP reported that legal experts said the ads might violate federal statutes, including a law against congressionally appropriated funds being used for publicity or propaganda. [ 6 , 9 , 11 ]
Why it matters
The ads ran in the weeks before November's midterm elections, which will decide whether Republicans keep their majorities in both chambers of Congress, making their funding a campaign-season dispute. The episode turns on whether taxpayer money was used for messaging praising the president, a question the documents say lawmakers from both parties raised.
Key facts
- Trump said he decided to do the “Patriotic Ads, among others” and pay for them himself and with money he raised for MAGA, Inc. [ 1 , 3 , 6 , 7 , 9 , 11 , 12 ]
- The announcement came after criticism from Republicans and Democrats of the administration's use of public funds for the ads. [ 3 , 6 , 9 , 11 , 12 ]
- CNBC reported the ads had been funded from what reportedly is up to $20 million from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, while AP and The Guardian reported they cost at least $1.5 million in federal funds. [ 3 , 9 , 12 ]
- CNN reported at least an estimated $10.1 million in taxpayer dollars had been spent on the ads as of Monday, according to the ad-tracking firm AdImpact; NBC News cited an AdImpact estimate of at least $10 million. [ 6 , 11 ]
- AP reported Trump's political war chest had amassed more than $400 million by the end of July, and that he has begun to tap it to boost Republican candidates ahead of the midterm elections. [ 9 ]
- CNN reported the administration had created at least 13 campaign-style ads promoting Trump and his policies, and that each ends with the words “Paid for by the U.S. Government.” [ 6 ]
- The ads ran in the weeks leading up to November's midterm elections, which will determine whether Republicans keep their majorities in both chambers of Congress. [ 3 , 6 ]
- The White House said MAGA Inc. will pay for the ads going forward and described presidential public service announcements as nothing new. [ 9 , 11 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Trump said he will pay for the ads himself and with money raised for MAGA, Inc. [ 1 , 3 , 6 , 7 , 9 , 11 , 12 ]
- The ads had drawn criticism because they were paid for with public funds. [ 3 , 6 , 7 , 9 , 11 , 12 ]
- Trump described the ads as “a positive promotion for our Great U.S.A.” and “a rather standard thing to do.” [ 1 , 3 , 6 , 9 , 11 , 12 ]
- The White House said MAGA Inc. will pay for the ads going forward. [ 9 , 11 ]
- The ads promoted Trump and his policies and ran ahead of the November midterm elections. [ 3 , 6 , 11 ]
- AP and The Guardian reported the ads cost at least $1.5 million in federal funds. [ 9 , 12 ]
Still unclear
- The exact amount of taxpayer money spent on the ads. AP and The Guardian say at least $1.5 million in federal funds, CNBC cites a reported up to $20 million from the Department of Homeland Security and CNN and NBC cite an AdImpact estimate of about $10 million spent; the figures differ and no document attributes a single confirmed total to an official source.
- Whether taxpayers will be reimbursed for ads that already aired. AP said Trump provided no details on reimbursing taxpayers, and NBC News said neither MAGA Inc. nor the White House answered whether the government would be repaid.
- How it would be shown that political funds were used for future advertising. AP reported the White House did not answer questions on how it or Trump might prove that his political funds were being used.
- Whether the ads have stopped airing. The documents report only Trump's statement that he will pay for the ads going forward; none says whether the existing spots are off air.
- Whether the use of public funds for the ads was unlawful. AP reported that legal experts said the ads might violate federal statutes, including a law against appropriated funds being used for publicity or propaganda; this is a single-source claim with no formal proceeding reported.
- The total number of ads produced and how many aired. CNN reported at least 13 ads were created and that it obtained clips of 12, with two already aired; no other document states these figures.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Sept. 19: federal money to pay for the ads became available when the Office of Management and Budget shifted $20 million in Customs and Border Protection funds to a budget category called One Big Beautiful Bill Commemorative Events, according to The New York Times as cited by CNBC. [ 3 ]
- Sept. 24: Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., wrote to White House chief of staff Susie Wiles that the advertisement “does not have a clear official government purpose and appears to run afoul of federal prohibitions,” as quoted by CNBC. [ 3 ]
- Three days before the announcement: The New York Times reported, citing people familiar with the matter, that Trump personally instructed his budget director to use taxpayer money for TV ads praising him and his presidency, according to CNBC. [ 3 ]
- CBS News and Reuters report Trump's Truth Social post saying he will pay for the “Patriotic Ads, among others” himself and with money raised for MAGA, Inc. [ 1 , 2 ]
- CNBC publishes its account, including the reported $20 million Department of Homeland Security funding, the New York Times report and the Hassan letter. [ 3 ]
- The New York Times reports that Trump said his PAC, MAGA, Inc., would pay for TV ads promoting him that had been paid for with taxpayer money. [ 4 ]
- Bloomberg reports Trump pledged to pay for video ads with personal funds and super PAC money following ethical concerns. [ 5 ]
- CNN reports the AdImpact estimate of at least $10.1 million in taxpayer dollars spent and details of the ads, including that they end with “Paid for by the U.S. Government.” [ 6 ]
- The Washington Post reports that Trump reversed course and will use private funds rather than taxpayer money for the campaign-style ads. [ 8 ]
- AP reports Trump said he will tap his super PAC, noting the ads cost at least $1.5 million in federal funds and that he gave no details on reimbursing taxpayers; The Seattle Times carries the announcement in a summary. [ 9 , 10 ]
- NBC News reports the reversal after bipartisan criticism and the White House statement that “MAGA Inc. will pay for the PSA ads moving forward.” [ 11 ]
- The Guardian US reports the U-turn after Democrats and Republicans condemned the use of tax dollars for the ads. [ 12 ]