The Trump administration has begun airing a 30-second television advertisement based on a video from Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign, but the new version is being funded by the US government and labelled a “public service announcement”.
The advertisement features Trump warning against “globalists”, “warmongers” and other political opponents, while the government-funded version ends with the message “Paid for by the U.S. Government”.
The broadcasts have drawn criticism over the use of taxpayer money for material closely resembling campaign advertising, while the White House has defended the spots as legitimate public service announcements rather than campaign advertisements.
The Trump administration has begun airing a television advertisement from Donald Trump's 2024 presidential campaign using taxpayer funds, describing it as a “public service announcement” rather than a campaign ad. The 30-second spot is the latest in a series of government-funded advertisements featuring Trump ahead of the US midterm elections.
What Does The New Trump Ad Show?
The 30-second advertisement is virtually identical to a video that ran during Trump's 2024 presidential campaign. It shows Trump walking down a hallway while his voice warns of a “final battle” against what he describes as “globalists” and “warmongers”.
The advertisement ends with Trump looking directly into the camera and the words “Paid for by the U.S. Government.” The original 2024 version, which was paid for by Trump's campaign, urged viewers to “Join President Trump's Fight for America”.
The government-funded version had already attracted about $319,000 in spending, according to AdImpact, which tracks political and media advertising.
Why Is The Ad Facing Criticism?
The advertisement is part of a broader series of government-funded television spots featuring Trump. An earlier 30-second advertisement began airing on Wednesday and included clips of Trump discussing communism alongside messages about tax cuts, manufacturing and law enforcement.
Another one-minute advertisement that began airing Friday featured footage of Mount Rushmore and excerpts from Trump's speech marking the US 250th anniversary.
The use of taxpayer money for the advertisements has drawn criticism from lawmakers from both parties, who have questioned their political nature. The White House has defended the broadcasts, calling them “public service announcements” and saying they are not campaign advertisements because Trump is not currently on the ballot and the spots contain no call to action.
The White House also pointed to government advertising under previous administrations, including a Medicare campaign during George W. Bush's presidency and COVID-19 vaccination advertisements under Joe Biden.
“With you at my side, we will demolish the ‘deep state.’ We will expel the war mongers from our government. We will drive out the globalists; we will cast out the communists, Marxists, and fascists,” he says in the narration, as reported by Associated Press. “We will throw off the sick political class that hates our country. We will rout the fake news media, and we will liberate America from these villains once and for all.”
An earlier 30-second advertisement began airing on Wednesday, featuring clips of Trump speaking about defeating communism. The footage is accompanied by on-screen messages highlighting the “largest tax cuts in history”, “reigniting American manufacturing” and a push to “defend law and order and police”. In a statement issued on Friday, the White House defended the advertisements as “public service announcements” and described criticism of them as “deeply dishonest,” according to AP.
