Trump to Fund Campaign Ads After Bipartisan Criticism of Federal Spending

President Donald Trump announced on October 5, 2026, that he and his super PAC will fund campaign-style advertisements promoting his administration, discontinuing the use of federal funds for this purpose. The announcement was made on Truth Social following bipartisan criticism from lawmakers who questioned the legality of using taxpayer dollars for pro-Trump advertisements. Trump stated, "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." He added that he would pay for the ads himself using funds raised for MAGA, Inc. A White House official confirmed that MAGA Inc. would cover the costs of future public service announcements (PSAs). The government had previously spent at least $10 million on these ads, which included disclaimers indicating they were funded by taxpayer money. Some of the ads were similar to campaign ads for the 2024 election. The White House had previously defended the ads as non-political, stating they aimed to remind Americans of their country’s values. Lawmakers, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Sen. Thom Tillis, criticized the ads, with Tillis comparing Trump to former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. A Maryland-based firm, LMD Agency, received a $20 million contract for the ads, which was described as a "national media campaign."