The Trump administration will not reimburse US taxpayers for the $20 million contract funding a national television advertising campaign featuring the president, the White House has confirmed.
More than $10 million has already been spent on the adverts, which have aired during prime-time NFL games and on major cable news outlets. Each spot is labelled: “Paid for by the US Government.”
The campaign was commissioned through a $20 million Department of Homeland Security contract for a “National Media Campaign”, awarded to Maryland-based firm LMD Agency.
President Donald Trump said on Monday that he had decided to pay for the adverts through MAGA Inc, the political group associated with him. But a White House spokesperson said the announcement did not amount to a commitment to repay money already spent.
“The President’s Truth was not referring to reimbursement,” the spokesperson said.
The adverts use footage of Mr Trump, including material from previous campaign activity, alongside clips of his administration and the US military. One features him saying: “Together we will defeat communism, socialism, and Marxism in America. America will never be a communist country,” while JMSN’s song Love Me plays in the background.
The White House has defended the campaign as a public service effort intended to promote America rather than the president or the Republican Party.
“Presidential Public service announcements are nothing new,” a White House official said. “Administrations of both parties have used public service announcements to explain policy and make the case for the nation’s direction.”
The administration has cited previous government advertising, including spending under Barack Obama to promote policies such as the Affordable Care Act. It also said every administration since at least George W Bush’s had run adverts promoting its policies, with similar campaigns dating back to Franklin D Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson.
However, the use of taxpayer money has drawn criticism from members of both parties, particularly with the adverts running weeks before the 2026 midterm elections.
Republican Senate Majority Leader John Thune said: “It’s a great message. I like the message. But it shouldn’t be paid for with taxpayer dollars.”
Maine Republican Senator Susan Collins called the move “illegal”, while North Carolina Republican Senator Thom Tillis said: “I hate it.”
Democratic senators have written to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, describing the adverts as “illegal and a shockingly corrupt misuse of taxpayer dollars”. They demanded that the department repay the money spent on what they said were effectively Trump advertisements.
