Translating into Русский. The English version is shown until it is ready.
White House says Trump will not reimburse taxpayers for promotional ads
Коротко
A White House official said President Donald Trump’s plan to pay for campaign-style government ads with his MAGA Inc. super PAC does not mean taxpayers will be reimbursed for money already spent. Nearly $12 million worth of ads have aired under a $20 million Department of Homeland Security contract, according to AdImpact. Trump said Tuesday that he would “decide” whether to repay the funds, as Democrats and some Republicans criticized the spending.
Читать полностью 2 мин чтения
President Donald Trump does not plan to reimburse taxpayers for the campaign-style government ads already aired, a White House official said Tuesday, a day after Trump said he would start paying for the ads with a campaign account. The official, who was not authorized to talk publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity, said Trump’s plan to use MAGA Inc. did not mean any reimbursement was coming. Axios reported that a White House spokesperson said Trump’s announcement “was not referring to reimbursement,” and Newsweek reported that an official said the same but did not clarify what the president did mean. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
Nearly $12 million worth of ads have already aired, according to AdImpact, as part of the $20 million the Department of Homeland Security tapped for the contract, the Associated Press reported. Speaking to reporters Tuesday, Trump called the ads “really good” and “promotion for the country, done by many presidents before.” Asked whether he would repay the funds already spent, he said, “We’ll decide.” [ 2 , 3 , 6 ]
In a Truth Social post Monday evening, Trump wrote that “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,” and that he had decided to pay for the “Patriotic Ads” himself and with money raised for MAGA Inc. Axios noted that federal law generally bars federal officeholders from directing spending decisions for super PACs. [ 4 , 6 ]
The ads, which began airing in late September, glorify Trump and echo his political messaging going into the midterms, according to the Associated Press. One features a clip of Trump talking about the threat of communism and another is a replay of an ad from his last presidential campaign; the fifth ad in the campaign began airing Tuesday and focuses on the administration’s capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. Newsweek reported that one ad used the song “Love Me” by JMSN and that the singer later said on social media that permission had not been given; it also described ads with messages including “largest tax cuts in history” and “defend law and order and police,” and a “paid for by the U.S. government” notice over the images. [ 2 , 3 , 6 ]
Republicans and Democrats alike have said the ads are not an appropriate use of U.S. government money. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, a Republican from South Dakota, said they should not be paid for with taxpayer dollars. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer criticized Trump for not committing to reimbursement and said he believes the plan to cover future costs amounts to illegal coordination with his super PAC. “Trump must return this money to the American people and there must be a full investigation into this gross waste and abuse of taxpayer dollars,” Schumer told the Associated Press. [ 2 , 3 ]
Почему это важно
The dispute puts a spotlight on how a $20 million federal contract was used for ads that both parties have called inappropriate, and on whether a sitting president can direct spending by a super PAC supporting him. With the ads echoing Trump’s political messaging ahead of the midterms, the question of reimbursement and oversight is likely to continue. The documents give no indication of any formal investigation beyond Democratic calls for one.
Ключевые факты
- A White House official said Trump’s plan to fund the ads with MAGA Inc. does not mean the government will be reimbursed for money already spent. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- Nearly $12 million worth of ads have already aired, according to AdImpact, as part of the $20 million the Department of Homeland Security tapped for the contract. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Trump said the ads were “really good” and “promotion for the country, done by many presidents before,” and said “We’ll decide” when asked whether he would repay the funds already spent. [ 2 , 3 , 6 ]
- On Truth Social on Monday evening, Trump said he had decided to pay for the “Patriotic Ads” himself and with money raised for MAGA Inc. [ 4 , 6 ]
- The ads began airing in late September; a fifth ad began airing Tuesday and focuses on the Trump administration’s capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said Trump must return the money and called for an investigation, and said paying future costs through a super PAC amounts to illegal coordination. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Republicans and Democrats alike have said the ads are not an appropriate use of government money, and Senate Majority Leader John Thune said they should not be paid for with taxpayer dollars. [ 2 , 3 ]
Подтверждено несколькими источниками
- A White House official said Trump’s announcement that MAGA Inc. would pay for the ads was not about reimbursing funds already spent. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- Nearly $12 million worth of ads have aired under a $20 million Department of Homeland Security contract, according to AdImpact. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Trump, asked by a reporter whether he would pay taxpayers back, said “We’ll decide.” [ 2 , 3 , 6 ]
- The ads began airing in late September and draw on Trump’s political messaging, including a clip about the threat of communism and a replay of an ad from his last presidential campaign. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Trump wrote on Truth Social on Monday evening that he had decided to pay for the “Patriotic Ads” himself and with money raised for MAGA Inc. [ 4 , 6 ]
- The fifth ad in the campaign began airing Tuesday, focusing on the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. [ 2 , 3 ]
Пока неясно
- What Trump meant in his Truth Social post about paying for the ads himself. A White House official told Newsweek that Trump was not referring to reimbursement but did not clarify what the president did mean.
- Whether the money already spent will be repaid. Trump said only that “We’ll decide,” and a White House official said no reimbursement was coming; no outlet reports a decision.
- Whether paying for future ads through MAGA Inc. would constitute illegal coordination. This is asserted by Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer in documents 2 and 3; Axios notes federal law generally bars federal officeholders from directing super PAC spending, but no outlet reports a ruling or investigation.
- Which president was in office and which administration ran the campaigns the White House compares the ads to. Newsweek reports the White House pointed to wartime messaging and health care PSAs by the Obama and Biden administrations, a claim from one outlet only.
Что пишут местные СМИ
Хронология, местное время
- The taxpayer-funded, campaign-style ads begin airing. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Trump writes on Truth Social that he has decided to pay for the “Patriotic Ads” himself and with money raised for MAGA Inc. [ 4 , 6 ]
- Asked outside the White House whether he would pay taxpayers back, Trump says “We’ll decide.” [ 2 , 3 , 6 ]
- The fifth ad in the campaign begins airing, focusing on the administration’s capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. [ 2 , 3 ]
- The Associated Press reports that Trump has not committed to repaying taxpayer money already spent on the ads. [ 1 ]
- Axios reports that Trump’s super PAC will not reimburse the government, and The Boston Globe reports a White House official’s account that no reimbursement is coming. [ 3 , 4 ]
- Newsweek reports that the White House denied Trump was promising taxpayer reimbursement. [ 6 ]