The White House has begun airing a new television advertisement promoting President Donald Trump and his policies, stating it is "Paid for by the U.S. Government." The 30-second commercial features a montage of images and videos of Trump, accompanied by audio of him denouncing communism and socialism, along with text highlighting his administration's accomplishments, such as "reigniting American manufacturing." The ad uses the song "Love Me" by JMSN as its soundtrack.
The advertisement started airing on Wednesday across various cable networks, including Fox News, and on connected TV platforms. According to AdImpact, the government has spent just over $14,000 on the ad so far. While this amount is relatively small compared to the significant advertising expenditures in the lead-up to the midterm elections, the ad does not reference any specific races or candidates. This use of taxpayer funds has raised questions, especially as Trump seeks to maintain a prominent presence in the elections despite not being on the ballot.
The White House has not provided further details on the ad's funding but has defended it as part of "public service announcements" aimed at promoting national pride. A White House spokesperson stated, "The ad is educational and unapologetically patriotic. We should be proud of our country."
JMSN, the artist behind the song used in the ad, indicated on social media that the administration may have used his song without permission, stating, "I am looking at lawyers and handling this internally."
The airing of the ad has attracted criticism from some Democrats in Congress and the watchdog group Common Cause, which has raised concerns about potential violations of regulations against using taxpayer dollars for propaganda. Carol Evans, vice president for policy at Common Cause, commented, "I don’t think you have to be a legal scholar and wonder why the president has to use taxpayer funds to promote his image this close to an election."