Senate GOP Leader Thune Says Taxpayers Shouldn't Fund Trump TV Ads

September 29, 2026 at 01:40 AM2 min

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Senate Republican Leader John Thune said taxpayers shouldn't pay for television ads praising President Donald Trump that the administration calls public service announcements. Thune told reporters at the Capitol on Monday that while he likes the message, it shouldn't be funded with taxpayer dollars. Democrats and watchdog group Public Citizen have called the government funding for the ads illegal.

Key Facts

Senate Republican Leader John Thune said taxpayers shouldn't pay for video ads praising President Donald Trump, speaking to reporters at the Capitol on Monday.
The ads aired on national television over the weekend, including Sunday morning public affairs shows and several college and NFL football games.
Democrats and watchdog group Public Citizen have called the government funding for the ads illegal.
The White House defended public funding, saying Trump "is not on the ballot" in the midterms and the ads are "a reminder for Americans to love their country."
Democrats say the ads violate a spending law prohibition on funds "for publicity or propaganda purposes within the United States not heretofore authorized by Congress" and the Hatch Act.

Thune's Criticism

Thune told reporters at the Capitol on Monday that the ads' message is great but shouldn't be paid for with taxpayer dollars. His criticism is the latest public break by the Senate majority leader, who until recently largely avoided public criticism of the president. Republicans face unusually strong competition to retain US Senate seats in typically stalwart GOP states such as Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Alaska and Texas.

The Ads

One television advertisement airing on cable and broadcast networks praises Trump with a photo montage, while another features outtakes from a Trump speech and a voiceover by the president saying a US "golden age" has begun. The ads aired on national television over the weekend, including on Sunday morning public affairs shows and several college and NFL football games. Such advertisements would typically be paid for by political committees separate from the government.

Legal and Political Response

Democrats and the watchdog group Public Citizen have called the government funding for the ads illegal. The White House defended public funding for the video ads in a statement, saying Trump "is not on the ballot" in the midterms and they are "a reminder for Americans to love their country." Democrats counter that the ads violate language in this year's government spending law that prohibits the use of funds "for publicity or propaganda purposes within the United States not heretofore authorized by Congress." They also say it violates the Hatch Act, which prevents public servants from acting on behalf of political campaigns.