Trump says he will pay for 'patriotic' TV ads after $440,000 taxpayer row
Donald Trump says he will pay for his own “patriotic ads” on US television after a row over more than $440,000 in taxpayer money spent on commercials praising him, according to Variety.
The pledge came in a statement posted to Truth Social on Monday, 5 October. Trump said he had decided to do the Patriotic Ads and pay for them himself and with money raised for MAGA, Inc.
MAGA, Inc. is his super PAC, meaning a political fundraising organisation that can raise and spend large sums to support a candidate. Trump said that group would now help foot the bill for the TV campaign.
The commercials at the centre of the dispute were straight image spots for the president. They stated that Trump is fighting “communism, socialism and Marxism” as well as “the fake news media”, among other claims.
The buys were broad. The administration placed the pro-Trump advertisements across Fox News, Newsmax, CBS, Fox, NBC, MS NOW, CNN and ABC, securing national airtime on both broadcast networks and cable news.
Three of the nationally broadcast administration ads ended with the disclaimer “Paid for by the US Government”, according to Reuters. That tag line is the standard disclosure that tells viewers who paid for the slot.
The spending was criticised after the total passed $440,000 in public money. One earlier government-funded spot featuring Trump cost $14,000, according to AdImpact, which tracks political ad spending. That $14,000 ad ran during conservative shows on Fox News and Newsmax, the Associated Press reported.
Trump announced on 5 October that taxpayers would no longer pay for television ads featuring him, according to Reuters. The spots had been airing shortly before the November congressional elections.
Behind the reversal is a report that Trump personally instructed his budget director to use taxpayer money for TV ads praising him and his presidency. That account came from The New York Times, as covered by CNBC. The Associated Press had previously reported on 25 September that the administration was expanding its campaign of taxpayer-funded TV ads promoting the president.
What changes for viewers is the funding line, not necessarily the schedule. The same commercial breaks are still for sale. Only the name on the disclaimer is set to change.
