Democratic lawmakers seek probe of US government ads featuring Trump

A pair of Democratic lawmakers sought on Thursday ​independent investigations into taxpayer-funded television ads featuring President ​Donald Trump that are airing shortly before the ‌November ​congressional elections.

Representative Jamie Raskin, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, and Representative George Whitesides, asked the Government Accountability Office and the Office of Special Counsel to determine ‌if the use of government funds was illegal. Democratic lawmakers said earlier this week that 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.

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 the midterm elections. "These ads constitute an illegal use of taxpayer funds, perhaps best demonstrated by the fact that they are virtually identical to the ones Donald Trump used during his 2024 presidential campaign, and in fact use the same footage and the same ⁠inept ideological ​messaging," Raskin and Whitesides ⁠wrote in a letter that was seen by Reuters, calling the spots "desperate pre-election propaganda."

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. Public Citizen ⁠filed ​a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission arguing the spots are campaign advertisements that should not be produced or distributed with taxpayer resources.

FCC Chair Brendan Carr, a Republican named to his position by Trump, on Wednesday said the ⁠ads were appropriate. 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.