Republican senators are turning on President Donald Trump's government-funded ads glorifying himself, with one pointing to an unexpected source of funding.
In a Thursday article for The Bulwark, Joe Perticone reported pushback from multiple GOP senators on ads that have been airing during NFL games and feature Trump's voice promising supporters a reckoning with his enemies. In one ad, Trump strides down a hallway as he vows to "demolish the deep state" and "rout the fake news media."
Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) flatly rejected President Donald Trump's government-funded ads glorifying himself, and when asked whether the president is permitted to run the spots, he answered with a blunt "no," according to a report. Cornyn then took a jab at former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem while floating a theory about the source of the money.
"It looks like there's money left over from Kristi Noem's self-aggrandizing movies and videos," Cornyn said. "So I just think it's bad form."
The same ad ran on Trump's Truth Social account during his 2024 presidential campaign, Perticone noted. Unlike past federal campaigns, the spots don't promote any particular government program or policy, Perticone added. Trump reportedly championed the effort and has been personally involved in it.
Cornyn wasn't alone among Republicans voicing discomfort. "I personally would not do that," said Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD).
"I think there's gonna be a question as to whether or not those would be considered viable or acceptable under the current law," Rounds added. "But we'll wait and see what the courts say on it."
Sen. James Lankford (R-OK) said he hadn't watched the ads but argued the government airs commercials regularly. "I've not seen this one to be able to provide a point of reference," he said.
Democrats were sharper. Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI), the top Democrat on the Senate Homeland Security Committee, said, "We're looking into what we can do."
"It's clearly a political purpose," Peters said. "More importantly, they're diverting funds from border security and protecting the homeland for political ads."
Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) and Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) wrote to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin seeking details on how the ads were made, what role Trump played and whether ethics officials signed off.