Taxpayer-funded Trump ads draw bipartisan scrutiny ahead of midterms

US President Donald Trump speaks to members of the media on the South Lawn of the White House before boarding Marine One in Washington, DC, US, on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026. Samuel Corum | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesTelevision advertisements with a pro-Trump message — and paid for by the U.S. government — are expanding their reach ahead of November's midterm elections, prompting bipartisan scrutiny over whether the campaign complies with federal restrictions on taxpayer-funded publicity and propaganda.One of the ads — backed by music that repeats the words "love me" — prominently features images of President Donald Trump while he says, "America will never be a communist country." Campaign talking points like "largest tax cuts in history" flash over the screen during the spot. The ad aired on national network television over the weekend, including during CBS' "Face the Nation" and college football games, according to advertising intelligence company AdImpact. The government has spent nearly $920,000 airing the ad so far.At the end of the ad, a disclaimer says "paid for by the U.S. Government." The source of the funding has not yet been identified.A White House spokesperson defended the ...