Trump Ditches Taxpayer Funds, Says He’ll Fund Midterm Ads With His Own Money After Flak

Last Updated:October 06, 2026, 05:14 IST

Trump said he would fund the ads with money raised for his political organisation, MAGA Inc., rather than public funds.

US President Donald Trump speaks as he steps off Air Force One upon arrival at Central Nebraska Regional Airport in Grand Island. (AFP PHOTO)

US President Donald Trump on Monday said he would pay for political advertisements ahead of November’s midterm elections with his own money, backing away from the use of taxpayer funds after facing criticism from both Republicans and Democrats.

Trump said he would fund the ads with money raised for his political organisation, MAGA Inc., rather than public funds.

“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,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

The move follows criticism over a $20 million advertising campaign run through the US Department of Homeland Security, with critics accusing Trump of using government money to promote himself and his political message.

Trump defends ‘patriotic’ ads

The White House has defended the advertisements as public service announcements aimed at promoting patriotism and national pride.

One recent advert, aired during an NFL game, showed Trump warning of a “final battle” against what he described as communists, Marxists and fascists. Another featured Trump declaring that America would “never be a communist country”.

The adverts carry an onscreen message saying they were “Paid for by the US Government”.

The White House has argued that the campaign is not political because Trump is not on the ballot and the adverts contain no direct call to vote.

Bipartisan backlash over taxpayer money

The use of public money has nevertheless drawn criticism from both sides of the political divide.

Republican Senator John Kennedy had said the government could not use public funds to promote the president, while Democratic Senator John Hickenlooper described the adverts as “propaganda”.

Democratic Representative Mike Levin also criticised the campaign, saying taxpayers were being made to pay for it.

Trump has previously urged Republican voters to “pretend that I’m on the ballot” during the midterm elections.

The White House has compared the adverts with public information campaigns run by previous administrations, including Covid vaccination messages under former President Joe Biden and wartime campaigns under Franklin Roosevelt.

(With inputs from agencies)

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How will Donald Trump fund his political ads for the upcoming midterm elections?

President Donald Trump announced he will pay for political advertisements ahead of the November midterm elections using his own money raised for his political organization, MAGA Inc., instead of relying on public funds.

Why did Trump’s advertising campaign draw bipartisan criticism?

The advertising campaign faced a bipartisan backlash because it utilized $20 million through the US Department of Homeland Security, leading critics from both Republican and Democratic parties to accuse the administration of improperly using government money for self-promotion and propaganda.

How has the White House defended the Department of Homeland Security advertising campaign?

The White House defended the advertisements as public service announcements intended to promote patriotism and national pride, arguing they are non-political because Trump is not on the ballot and the spots contain no direct call to vote.

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