The White House has defended spending $5.5 million (£4.1 million) of taxpayer money on television adverts praising Donald Trump’s presidency and promoting patriotic messages.
At least four commercials have aired on Fox News and other television networks since late September, with the cost expected to rise. The campaign was funded through the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), according to reports.
The adverts feature images of the American flag, Mount Rushmore and clips of Mr Trump, alongside messages declaring that America “will never be a communist country”. One commercial also includes the song Love Me by American singer JMSN, who has disputed the use of his music.
A White House spokesman rejected suggestions that the broadcasts were political, describing them instead as public service announcements.
“These public service announcements are about reminding Americans to love their country and understand what makes it worth defending, at home, at our borders, and abroad,” the spokesman said.
“The ad is educational and unapologetically patriotic. We should be proud of our country.”
A DHS spokesman said the department had followed “all applicable rules for contracting decisions”.
Trump adverts draw criticism from Republicans and Democrats
One of the commercials shows Mount Rushmore at night and uses extracts from a speech Mr Trump delivered during the Fourth of July weekend to mark America’s 250th anniversary.
“We know that this is not an ending,” Mr Trump says in the advert. “This is only the beginning of the golden age of America.”
The commercial ends with an audio clip from Dana White, the chairman of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, praising the president.
“He is the toughest, most resilient person that I’ve ever met, and nothing was going to stop him from fighting so hard for the country he loves,” Mr White says.
Text shown at the end of the advert states: “Paid for by the U.S. Government.”
Politicians from both parties have criticised the use of public funds, with some arguing that laws prohibit taxpayer money being spent on “publicity or propaganda” and restrict partisan political activity by government employees.
Several House Democrats who hold senior committee positions called for the first advert to be removed, describing it as “the sort of government propaganda one might expect in North Korea”.
North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis, a Republican who is not seeking re-election, called the advert “inappropriate” and compared it with material he would expect from Viktor Orban, the former right-wing prime minister of Hungary.
Mr Trump said he would “gladly” pay for the commercials if it was decided that the spending was improper.
“These are ads for the country. You have to understand. I’m not promoting a candidate. I’m not promoting myself because I’m not running for office. I’m promoting the country,” he told a reporter.
Spending comes ahead of US midterm elections
The broadcasts come as Republicans seek to defend their majorities in Congress at the upcoming midterm elections. Republican candidates have also released adverts using similar themes, including communism, the economy and crime.
Mr Trump is facing low approval ratings, an unpopular war in Iran and high petrol prices, with the elections only weeks away. Republican insiders in Washington are privately preparing for the possibility of major Democratic gains in both chambers.
Republicans currently hold 53 seats in the Senate, compared with 47 held by Democrats, while they have a 219-214 advantage in the House of Representatives.
Democrats are projected to win about 230 House seats compared with roughly 200 for Republicans, according to the material cited in the reports. They need 218 seats for a majority in the lower chamber and 51 Senate seats to avoid relying on a tie-breaking vote from Vice-President JD Vance.
