The Trump administration has developed at least 13 campaign-style advertisements as part of a controversial, multi-million-dollar effort funded by taxpayers to promote President Donald Trump and his policies. This initiative has drawn questions from both Republicans and Democrats alike regarding the wisdom of spending federal money on the ads, which the White House has defended as public service announcements.
CNN has obtained clips of 12 of these ads, which vary in length from 15 seconds to three minutes. These clips were found in a Dropbox account managed by LMD, the agency holding the government contract for the ad buys. Each advertisement concludes with the disclaimer, “Paid for by the U.S. Government.” An additional ad, titled “Final Battle,” which was not in the Dropbox account, has also aired in recent weeks. Three ads have already appeared on television networks including CBS, CNN, MS NOW, Fox News, and Fox, though it remains unclear if all 13 spots will be broadcast on television or digital platforms.
Many of the ads feature imagery of the president and audio with positive reviews from news reports, alongside patriotic images such as a cap toss at a military graduation, fireworks over Mount Rushmore, and military flyovers. These elements are likely to intensify criticism that the campaign is using taxpayer dollars for President Trump's personal benefit. First lady Melania Trump is also featured in numerous ads, despite her rare presence at the White House during the president’s second term. Other visuals include images from Trump’s reciprocal tariff announcement, the border wall, his escalator presidential-campaign announcement, and a framed photograph of an auto pen signifying former President Joe Biden on Trump’s “Presidential Walk of Fame.”
President Trump has personally driven the creation of these video ads, including assisting in the selection of imagery, according to a source familiar with the matter. Two Trump advisers familiar with the ads indicated that they were being produced in-house by the White House video team, which is part of the communications team responsible for the administration’s public messaging. However, at least one ad was produced by a pro-Trump meme group.
Specific ad themes include a trio focusing on the U.S. military and operations in Iran and Venezuela. One ad, titled “God Made Trump,” was broadcast during a Republicans’ midterm convention in Dallas and presents President Trump as a messianic figure, riffing on Paul Harvey’s “God Made a Farmer.” According to NPR, this ad was created by the Dilley Meme Team. Another spot, “UFC 250,” heavily promotes the company and a June fight hosted by Trump at the White House, featuring UFC CEO Dana White and championship imagery. The “Maduro” ad intersperses a speech by Nicolas Maduro with appearances by Trump and his team at Mar-a-Lago after the Venezuelan dictator’s capture. “Military Hype” displays fighter jets, unclassified video appearing to show missile launches, and President Trump’s February speech announcing the war with Iran.
Other starkly political ads include the two-minute “King of the Jungle” video, which features images of perceived political enemies, including former Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden, Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and California Governor Gavin Newsom. This ad uses video of lions hunting, a bald eagle, a cover of “In the Air Tonight,” and Christopher Walken’s lion speech from the 2002 film “Poolhall Junkies.” The “Resilience” ad showcases Trump at various points in his life, including his early real estate career, an appearance on “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” his 2015 presidential candidacy announcement from the Trump Tower escalator, and his time at the White House. This ad includes audio of a reporter referring to him as “the bodyguard of Western Civilization,” and prominently features his 2023 mugshot from a Fulton County, Georgia, sheriff’s office, along with video of an assassination attempt on him in Butler, Pennsylvania.
So far, an estimated $5.6 million in taxpayer dollars has been spent on these ads, according to AdImpact, a leading political ad-tracking firm. The actual cost of the campaign is believed to be higher but cannot be fully determined, as public service announcements are subject to different public disclosure rules than campaign ads. A total of $20 million has been allocated for the effort, with funds sourced from Customs and Border Protection, according to two sources familiar with the matter who spoke to CNN.
The ads that have already aired have led to widespread condemnation. Democratic Representative Jamie Raskin, the ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, stated on X that the ads “may be felony criminal theft and conversion of government property for political campaign purposes.” He is expected to gain congressional subpoena power if Democrats secure control of the House next year. Even some Republicans have voiced criticism; Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina noted, “It’s not an appropriate PSA. It’s just not, you know, it’s not how we should be spending taxpayer dollars.” Senator John Cornyn of Texas stated that the ads are “not an appropriate use of taxpayer dollars” and that “It’s not even a close question.”
Watchdog groups have asserted that these ads represent a clear violation of appropriations law, which restricts the use of federal funding for propaganda or partisan communications. However, it is unclear if outside groups possess the standing to file a lawsuit. Despite bipartisan criticism, Congress has not yet acted to block the ads, although these groups suggest Congress has the clearest path to provide accountability. When asked for comment, the White House on Friday afternoon pointed to a recently posted video compilation of the president criticizing CNN.
