US FCC chair says government ads featuring Trump do not raise concerns

The chair ​of the US Federal Communications Commission said ​on Wednesday that taxpayer-funded television ads featuring ‌President ​Donald Trump are not improper and do not raise any red flags. Democratic lawmakers said the White House transferred $20 million in Homeland Security Department funds ‌to air the ads, including one that closely resembles a 2024 Trump campaign ad.

"There's nothing in there that strikes me to merit any sort of FCC review or any liability for any broadcaster for running a regular, ‌normal (public service announcement)," said FCC Chair Brendan Carr, a Republican who was named head of the ‌agency by Trump in January 2025. Ethics experts and lawmakers from both parties have criticized the three nationally broadcast ads, which celebrate a "golden age of America" and are airing five weeks before midterm elections.

Trump defended the ads on Wednesday. "I'm not running for office," ⁠he said. "If ​somebody said that that's ⁠wrong, I'll gladly pay the money. But, but these are ads for the country. ... I'm not promoting a candidate. I'm ⁠not promoting myself because I'm not running for office." Lawmakers have questioned whether public funds are being used to promote Trump ​politically, while other critics say the spots may violate longstanding restrictions on government propaganda and political activity.

FCC ⁠Commissioner Anna Gomez, a Democrat, criticized the ads. "This administration has launched an aggressive effort to influence the outcome of the midterm ⁠elections," ​Gomez said. Public Citizen filed a complaint with the FCC arguing the spots are campaign advertisements that should not be produced or distributed with taxpayer resources.

One ad features Trump declaring that "America will never ⁠be a communist country" while a chorus repeats the words "love me." Another combines images of Mount Rushmore with ⁠footage of Trump praising a "golden ⁠age of America." A third describes a "final battle" against the "deep state" and closely resembles one of Trump's 2024 campaign advertisements.

The ads end with a disclaimer saying they ‌were paid for ‌by the US government.