NYT: White House spends more than $1 million on Trump campaign ad

A campaign advertisement used by Donald Trump during his 2024 presidential bid has reappeared on US television, this time carrying a disclaimer stating that it was paid for by the US government, with the total spending estimated at more than $1 million, The New York Times reports.

The report said the black-and-white advertisement shows Trump walking down a corridor while promising to “expel warmongers” from the government and fight the “deep state”. It originally appeared during his 2024 campaign.

The advertisement aired across the country over the weekend, including during Fox News Sunday, Saturday Night Live and several college and NFL football games, according to data from advertising analytics firm AdImpact.

The White House has defended the spending, describing the advertisements as “public service announcements” intended to remind Americans to love their country and understand what makes it worth defending. The administration said the spots contain no “call to action”.

Some ethics experts, however, have argued that using taxpayer funds for the advertisements could violate federal laws governing government-funded propaganda.

Three pro-Trump advertisements identifying the US government as their funder have aired in recent days, according to AdImpact. While the exact government spending has not been disclosed, the firm estimates that more than $1 million may have been spent based on the media markets where the advertisements were broadcast.

The latest advertisement is estimated to have received more than $70,000 in backing. Its audio draws on remarks Trump made at several campaign events in 2023 and 2024, including his 2024 campaign pledge to “expel the warmongers from our government”.

The advertisements are airing ahead of the November midterm elections. The use of public funds for the spots has drawn criticism from Democrats and some Republicans.

Republican Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana said no public official, including Trump, “should spend public money on private ads for themselves”. He added that the White House took a different view.

Some ethics experts have also questioned whether the advertisements could conflict with the Hatch Act, which restricts government employees from making political statements in their official capacity. The president is exempt from the law, but experts said government employees involved in producing or placing the advertisements could potentially have violated its provisions.

“A divisive campaign commercial paid for by the U.S. government defies the Hatch Act’s very purpose,” said Margaret Dylus-Yukins, senior legal counsel for ethics at the Campaign Legal Center, a nonpartisan watchdog group.

The White House has defended the advertisements.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov