Five weeks before the midterm elections, the White House has spent more than $1 million of taxpayer money on TV ads featuring President Trump warning about the deep state, globalists, and Marxists. The spots aired during NFL games this past weekend and on FOX News and Newsmax.
The ad itself
The video originated as Trump campaign material. It runs 30 seconds, with Trump delivering the warning message. The tag at the end of the spot reads “Paid for by the U.S. government.”
The White House calls it a public service announcement, not a political ad. That distinction is disputed. Amy Walter disagrees, noting the images look like a clear political ad.
What the White House says
The White House points to precedent. During the pandemic under President Biden, the government ran ads promoting the COVID vaccine. Under President Obama, the Affordable Care Act was promoted. Those were public-health messages, not partisan ones.
But the current ads are different. They feature Trump, not health information. They warn of enemies like globalists and Marxists.
The Hatch Act question
Amy Walter raises Hatch Act concerns. The act bars federal employees from using appropriated taxpayer funds for unauthorized publicity or propaganda. She says the ad likely violates it by using government funding for political advertising.
At least three such ads have aired. Tamara Keith reports the U.S. government has spent more than $1 million to air them.
The ads run during sporting events and on FOX News and Newsmax.
Who is pushing back
Senator Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire has pushed back. She sent a letter to Susie Wiles, chief of staff, asking whether the ads comply with laws barring use of federal funds for propaganda.
Senator Kennedy from Louisiana has also raised concerns, though the source text cuts off before describing the issue in full.
Key dates and events
| Event | Date/Week |
|---|---|
| Midterm elections | Five weeks away |
| NFL games airing | This past weekend |
| Presidential visits | Last three or four days |
| Ad spending | More than $1 million |
Why this matters
The White House argues precedent exists from pandemic-era vaccine and health-care ads under previous presidents. But those were public-health messages, not partisan ones.
The ads are aimed at activating the Republican base. The president himself visited several sporting events in the last three or four days.
This is a direct test of the line between public service and political campaigning. The White House says it is one thing. The evidence on screen suggests otherwise.
Where the paper stands
The paper backs none of this spending and is against the White House using taxpayer dollars for anything resembling a political ad, whatever label it carries. Government should serve its citizens, not organize them into a cheering section.
The ads are clearly political. They name enemies like globalists and Marxists, and they carry the president’s face and his warning message. They are not public-health announcements, not even dressed up as them. The White House calls them public-service announcements, but the images and the warning content read as pure politics.
The Hatch Act exists to keep government funds from being used for propaganda. Amy Walter says the ads likely violate it, and Senator Maggie Hassan has asked pointed questions about compliance. Those are reasonable questions, and the White House has offered no real answer.
Source material: “Tamara Keith and Amy Walter on taxpayer funds used for TV ads promoting Trump,” PBS.
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