Donald Trump said Monday that he will no longer use taxpayer money to fund the propaganda-style advertisements that drew bipartisan criticism.
Trump, 80, had been airing several videos at the public’s expense through the Department of Homeland Security: a 2024 campaign spot, an anti-communist message, an excerpt from his July 4 speech, and a pro-Iran war video that featured Pete Hegseth asserting that the U.S. didn’t start the conflict.
The White House argued that these videos—even the one from Trump’s presidential campaign—were not political ads, but “presidential public service announcements.” That explanation didn’t sit well with some Republicans in Congress, with Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie saying it was indicative of “banana republics.”
Now, Trump is caving.
“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,” Trump, 80, wrote on Truth Social, ignoring the complaints from his own party.
“This is a rather standard thing to do,” he insisted, “but, rather than doing that, although nothing will make them happy, I have decided to do the Patriotic Ads, among others, and pay for them myself, and with money I raised for MAGA, Inc. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
MAGA Inc., a pro-Trump super PAC, had about $415 million to spend as of last month, according to The New York Times.
By law, Trump cannot direct spending decisions for a PAC like MAGA Inc. that has no contribution limits. Yet Trump, who has previously called its funds “my money that I control,” wrote in his social media post that he would pay for the ads “myself.”
The Daily Beast has reached to the White House and MAGA Inc. asking how the PAC will spend on ads, and how much. The repurposed 2024 Trump campaign ad cost more than $1.7 million to air. That was reportedly part of a $20 million ad buy.
The ads were made at Trump’s direction, the Times reported, with Customs and Border Protection money. The contract went to Maryland marketing firm LMD.
The spots have aired on network television—angering football fans in the process—and on cable, including CNN and MS NOW.
One ad used the song “Love Me” by Christian Berishaj, who demanded his work be removed from the ad. Berishaj’s objection is the latest in a long list of artists calling out the Trump administration for using a song of theirs without their consent.
