TV ads featuring President Donald Trump that began airing this week — including one in which he declares that “America will never be a communist country” and touting his administration’s policy goals — were paid for by U.S. taxpayers. The spots have drawn criticism from Democrats and Republicans alike, with lawmakers saying they look like campaign ads, coming just weeks before November’s midterm elections.
As of Friday, the Trump administration has spent at least $443,000 on the first ad, the AP reported, which started airing Wednesday on Fox News and Newsmax. The ads feature sound bites of Trump claiming he will defeat “communism, socialism and Marxism.” On-screen text in the spot claims the administration enacted the “largest tax cuts in history,” is “reigniting American manufacturing” and will “defend law and order and police.”
The White House on Friday issued a statement defending the ads, noting that multiple other presidential administrations have run PSAs promoting policies and to “make the case for the nation’s direction.”
‘The attacks on President Donald J. Trump’s public service announcements are highly dishonest. The announcements are very clearly not campaign ads; President Trump is not on the ballot and there is no call to action,” the White House said in a statement. “Instead, the announcements are a reminder for Americans to love their country and know why it’s worth defending — at home, at the border, and abroad. That’s not partisanship — that’s a government that still believes in the country it serves.”
Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), in posts on social media, said the ad violates the Hatch Act, which prohibits certain political activities of federal employees to ensure that federal programs are administered in a nonpartisan fashion. The pro-Trump ad from the White House “may be felony criminal theft and conversion of government property for political campaign purposes,” Raskin wrote. “It is a Hatch Act violation for any government employees who worked on it or used government resources to make it.”
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) said the ad is “inappropriate” and that the White House’s use of taxpayer dollars to fund the campaign “feels like Viktor Orbán,” referring to the right-wing former prime minister of Hungary, The Hill reported.
On Friday, the White House began running a new 60-second ad in a similar vein. The ad features shots of Mount Rushmore at night with excepts from Trump’s July 4th weekend. “We know that this is not an ending,” Trump says in the ad. “This is only the beginning of the Golden Age of America.”
The Trump White House insisted the ads are entirely in-bounds. “When prior Administrations utilized the airwaves, it was called ‘public education.’ When this Administration promotes pride in our country, many of those same voices call it ‘propaganda,’” it said in a statement. “Patriotism isn’t partisan. These public service announcements are unapologetically American, clearly disclosed, and aimed at the country — not a line on the ballot.”
The Trump White House said administrations of both parties have used public service announcements to explain policy and make the case for the nation’s direction. For example, it cited the Biden administration’s “We Can Do This” public-health campaign and the Obama administration’s use of national ads to promote Obamacare subsidies and open enrollment.
Meanwhile, Trump’s “America will never be a communist country” ad is soundtracked with the song “Love Me” by JMSN, whose real name is Christian Berishaj.
In a post on X Thursday, JMSN said, “To anybody who has followed my career and knows what I stand for and built my career on, it should go without saying that I would never authorize my music to be used for ANY political agenda or campaign.” He said Trump “illegally” used the song “without asking but still the public goes full ret*rd and immediately assumes that a license was granted.”
“I’ve built my career independently outside of any major system and have made it a point to not sacrifice my artistic integrity,” JMSN said. “I don’t have a publicist or anything so being forced in a situation like this and having to comment is ridiculous.” He added, “I am looking at lawyers and handling this internally.” Variety has reached out to the White House for comment.