Senate Republicans are uneasy about a series of television ads narrated by President Donald Trump and paid for by taxpayers.
The latest ad aired Sunday during NFL games, "Fox News Sunday" and "Saturday Night Live," and it's nearly identical to a 2024 Trump campaign video, reported MS NOW.
In the ad, which the White House insists is a public service announcement, Trump vows to "liberate America from these villains once and for all," naming the "deep state," "globalists," "communists" and "the fake news media," among others. Two other ads have come out over the past week, and all three end with the same disclaimer: "Paid for by the U.S. Government."
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) told reporters Monday that he liked what the ad said but not who paid for it. "It's a great message. I like the message," Thune said. "But it shouldn't be paid for with taxpayer dollars."
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC), who is retiring, did not mince words. "I hate it," he said. He compared the ad to "Viktor Orbán talking to the Hungarian people."
"If it were, you know, some clear message that was going to appeal to the broader — a real public service announcement, that's fine. But that was not that," Tillis said.
Other Republicans also raised concerns:
- Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) told MS NOW, "It's not something that I would've done."
- Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) said he had not seen the ads but added, "We all know you're not supposed to use taxpayer money for that purpose."
- Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) said the money was "probably" better spent on other things.
Some Republicans defended the ads. Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) said Trump is "not the first president who's done this."
On Tuesday, Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-NH) tried to pass a resolution by unanimous consent saying taxpayers should not pay for the president's promotional ads, but Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) objected, which was enough to block it. Lummis said the ads defend American values against "the failed ideologies of communism and socialism."
The White House says the ads are real public service announcements and that past administrations have made similar material. Communications director Steven Cheung told followers on X not to "let the Fake News get away with their lies."
Sens. Patty Murray (D-WA) and Chris Murphy (D-CT) sent a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin asking how the ads are being paid for. They called the spending "illegal and a shockingly corrupt misuse of taxpayer dollars."
Murphy also warned about the precedent. "If this is the new rule," he said, "then every future president is just going to run their political campaigns using taxpayer money."
