President Trump announced on Monday that his super PAC will finance the pro-Trump advertisements that have recently blanketed national television airwaves, shifting course after his administration faced heavy criticism for utilizing public funds for the spots. Writing on Truth Social, the president asserted that the radical left was upset over his use of funds he considers a positive promotion for the United States, but he decided to personally fund the patriotic spots using money raised by MAGA, Inc. The ads, labeled with the disclosure paid for by the U.S. government, began appearing on cable and broadcast networks in late September ahead of the November midterm elections. Multiple variations have aired, including one featuring a recording of Trump vowing to defeat communism, socialism, and Marxism, alongside another recounting the U.S. capture of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Government contracting records show the Department of Homeland Security awarded $20 million to the LMD Agency for a national media campaign, while Customs and Border Protection received another $20 million for commemorative events. The White House defended the spots as educational public service announcements that are clearly not political, noting that the president is not on the ballot and the ads contain no call to action. However, the campaign sparked bipartisan pushback. Congressional Democrats compared the spots to foreign government propaganda and alleged an illegal misuse of taxpayer dollars, while a handful of Republicans also voiced disapproval over using public money for private self-promotion. By routing the costs through his super PAC, Trump is drawing from a substantial financial reserve that held more than $400 million at the end of August, funds that have already seen heavy deployment in competitive battleground races like the Texas Senate contest.
Source: cbsnews.com
