White House goons have lashed out at CNN star Jake Tapper after he railed against President Donald Trump’s propaganda ads.
The president, 80, has rolled out at least 13 ads that his administration insists are apolitical “public service announcements.” However, the productions only praise Trump, borrow heavily from his 2024 campaign, and have appeared conveniently in the lead-up to the midterm elections in November.
One aired during the NFL game between the Seattle Seahawks and the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday evening. “Blatantly political ad (taken from 2024 campaign speech) paid for by your/my tax dollars airs during NFL game,” Tapper reacted on X.
“Standards once eroded seldom are restored so hope everyone is cool with this from now on.”
“Fake Tapper thinks patriotism is political,” the White House’s Rapid Response 47 account replied.
“Government-funded Obamacare ads and Super Bowl ads were just fine, though,” it added, sharing a list of previous taxpayer-funded advertising.
The list gives examples from Woodrow Wilson and FDR through to George W. Bush, Obama, and Biden, covering everything from wartime propaganda and anti-drug campaigns to Obamacare and public health messaging.
Experts argue that Trump’s ads, which started airing last week, are different because they aren’t designed to help Americans access any specific program.
They also appear to violate a law against using congressionally appropriated funds for propaganda.
Sen. Thom Tillis, a Republican from North Carolina who is not afraid to criticize the president, compared the ads to those used by authoritarian former leader Viktor Orban of Hungary. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, a Republican from South Dakota, said they “shouldn’t be paid for with taxpayer dollars.”
Sen. John Cornyn of Texas has said shared a similar opinion, stating, “It’s not even a close question.”
The Department of Homeland Security has kept aside $20 million to pay for the ad blitz, according to reports.
CNN has obtained 12 of the ads, of which two have already aired, revealing a government-funded ad blitz featuring Trump touting his record, posing with fighter jets and Marine One, promoting his military actions in Iran and efforts to arrest Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro, and even celebrating the UFC spectacle he hosted on the White House lawn.
The 15-second-to-three-minute spots range from chest-thumping paeans to Trump’s strength and “resilience” to videos touting his tariffs. Their titles include “Resilience,” “King of the Jungle,” and “Military Hype.” All end with the message: “Paid for by the U.S. Government.”
