Trump Says His Super PAC Will Pay for Pro-Trump Ads Instead of Taxpayers

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President Trump said he plans to pay for controversial pro-Trump television ads using funds from his MAGA Inc. super PAC rather than the federal government, following lawmaker criticism that the spots might violate federal law and were an improper use of taxpayer money.

The advertisements, which predominantly feature the president and promote the administration’s policies, started airing on national television last month and were paid for by federal funds from the Department of Homeland Security. Democrats and some Republicans questioned the use of federal dollars for the ad campaign, which the White House has defended as public service announcements.

“The Radical Left is upset with the fact that I am taking Ads, which I consider to be a positive promotion for our Great U.S.A., and paying for them with U.S.A. money,” Trump posted on Truth Social Monday evening. “This is a rather standard thing to do but, rather than doing that, although nothing will make them happy, I have decided to do the Patriotic Ads, among others, and pay for them myself, and with money I raised for MAGA, Inc.”

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The ads have drawn public scrutiny because they include the unusual disclaimer “paid for by the U.S. government.” Critics say the ads might violate laws including the Hatch Act, which prohibits executive-branch employees from using their jobs to promote political causes.

One of the ads begins with Trump saying a frequent line he uses on the campaign trail: “Together we will defeat communism, Marxism in America once and for all.” The ad follows with dozens of images of the president at White House events. Playing in the background is a choir singing “Love Me.” Trump ends by saying “America will never be a communist country” and in small letters at the bottom of the screen it reads, “Paid for by the U.S. government.”

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The president has defended the ads from criticism that they were propaganda and might violate federal laws by saying he is not running for office.

“You have to understand I’m not promoting a candidate,” Trump told reporters last week. “I’m not promoting myself because I’m not running for office. I’m promoting the country.”

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