White House compares $443K taxpayer-funded pro-Trump TV ad to PSAs on healthcare and wartime

WASHINGTON, DC: The White House on Friday, September 25, defended its decision to use taxpayer funds to air a pro-Trump television advertisement on Fox News, describing the spot as a “public service announcement” rather than a campaign ad.

The 30-second advertisement features President Donald Trump throughout, promotes policies and accomplishments of his administration, and includes his remarks about defeating communism, socialism, and Marxism. The administration reportedly spent at least $443,000 on the ad.

White House calls pro-Trump TV ad 'public service announcements'

In a lengthy statement sent to news outlets, the White House argued that the advertisements are intended to encourage Americans to value and defend their country, rather than influence voters. It also said previous presidential administrations had used government-funded public-service announcements to explain policies and promote national initiatives.

“The announcements are very clearly not campaign ads; President Donald J Trump is not on the ballot and there is no call to action,” the White House said. “Instead, the announcements are a reminder for Americans to love their country and know why it’s worth defending. That’s not partisanship, that’s a government that still believes in the country it serves.”

The White House claimed the advertisements were “unapologetically American” and argued that government announcements under previous administrations had been described as public education. It cited examples such as a 2015 advertisement promoting healthcare.gov enrollment and a 2021 Covid-19 vaccine campaign.

The statement also mentioned former President Franklin D Roosevelt’s Office of War Information's use of films, radio, and posters to promote the war effort during World War II. 

The version aired on Fox News includes several references to Trump and his administration. It features his statement, “Together we will defeat communism, socialism and Marxism in America,” alongside rapid footage of the president. The advertisement also includes onscreen claims such as “Largest tax cuts in history,” “Reigniting American manufacturing,” and “Defend law and order and police.”

It also includes a disclosure stating that it was “paid for by the US government.” The song 'Love Me' by JMSN plays in the background.

Bipartisan criticism over use of taxpayer funds

The White House defended its move after Democratic Rep Jamie Raskin raised questions about whether the advertisement could violate federal laws, including the Hatch Act. Raskin wrote that the use of government resources for political purposes “may be felony criminal theft and conversion of government property for political campaign purposes.”

“It is a Hatch Act violation for any government employees who worked on it or used government resources to make it. It is blatantly unethical under numerous federal ethics provisions proscribing the use of government resources for political campaigns,” Raskin wrote.

Republican Sen Thom Tillis, in a statement to the Hill, also said that the ad is “inappropriate” and that the White House’s use of taxpayer dollars to fund the campaign “feels like Viktor Orban,” referring to the right-wing former prime minister of Hungary.