President Donald Trump announced Monday he will shift future television ads to his super PAC, MAGA Inc. after criticism over $10.1 million in taxpayer spending on promotional spots that watchdog groups said violated federal law.
Trump posted the shift on Truth Social, writing that while the ads are "rather standard," he would pay for "Patriotic Ads" himself and through MAGA Inc. funds. "The Radical Left is upset with the fact that I am taking Ads, which I consider to be a positive promotion for our Great U.S.A. and paying for them with U.S.A. money," he wrote.
The reversal came after Republican and Democratic lawmakers questioned the use of federal money for what critics described as campaign-style spots. The White House had defended them as public service announcements.
AdImpact, a political ad-tracking firm, estimated that at least $10.1 million in taxpayer dollars had been spent on the ads as of Monday. The administration created at least 13 such ads promoting Trump and his policies.
Several ads have yet to air, including three highlighting the U.S. military and operations in Iran and Venezuela. Other unreleased ads include one titled "God Made Trump" and another recapping a UFC event Trump hosted at the White House.
Twelve ad clips, ranging from 15 seconds to three minutes, were obtained from a Dropbox account managed by LMD, the agency holding the government contract for the buys. Two of those 12 ads have already aired.
Each ad concluded with the statement "Paid for by the U.S. Government." An ad titled "Final Battle," which aired nationally in recent weeks including during NFL games, also carried that disclaimer.
Many ads featured the president alongside audio clips of positive news reports, combined with patriotic imagery such as military flyovers, fireworks over Mount Rushmore, and a cap toss at a military graduation.
Trump personally directed creation of the videos, helping select imagery and footage, according to a source familiar with the matter. Two Trump advisers said the White House video team, part of the communications office, produced the ads in-house. At least one ad was produced by a pro-Trump meme group.
Watchdog groups contend the ads violated federal appropriations law, which restricts use of federal funding for propaganda or partisan communications. The legal standing for outside groups to file a lawsuit remains unclear.
Despite bipartisan criticism, Congress did not act to block the ads before the midterms. Watchdog groups identified Congress as having the clearest path to provide accountability regarding the funding.
