Trending

Trump ends taxpayer-funded TV ads featuring him after criticism

By /

US President Donald Trump said on Monday, 5 October 2026, that he will stop using public money for taxpayer-funded TV ads featuring him, after ethics experts and lawmakers from both parties criticised the campaign-style spots aired ahead of the November midterm elections, Al Jazeera reported, citing AP and Reuters.

Ads will now be paid privately

In a post on his social media site, Trump defended the advertisements as “a positive promotion for our Great U.S.A.” but said they would no longer be paid for by taxpayers. Instead, he said, they would be funded either by him or by his political action committee, MAGA Inc., which had amassed more than $400 million by the end of July. The announcement came as ethics experts and lawmakers from both parties called for independent investigations into the spots.

The three nationally broadcast ads cost at least $1.5 million in federal funds. They have run during football games as recently as Sunday and during other programming, and they end with a disclaimer saying they were paid for by the US government.

What the taxpayer-funded TV ads showed

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”.

Democratic lawmakers said last month that the White House had transferred $20 million in Department of Homeland Security funds to air the ads, including one that closely resembles a 2024 Trump campaign advertisement, and they sought independent investigations.

Calls for an investigation continue

California Attorney General Rob Bonta on Monday called for an independent investigation, describing the ads as a “staggering misuse of public funding and breach of public trust”.

Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr, a Republican named to the post by Trump, said last week that the advertisements were appropriate and rejected a request to investigate them.

Source: Al Jazeera (with AP and Reuters)

Photo: Nishkid64 / Wikimedia Commons, public domain (resized)

Share

Today’s News 6 Oct 2026 · 30 stories

  1. Himachal kabaddi players to get Rs 1 crore each for Asian Games gold1Himachal kabaddi players to get Rs 1 crore each for Asian Games goldOct 6, 2026
  2. India vs Uruguay: Blue Tigers face Forlan’s side in Kolkata tonight2India vs Uruguay: Blue Tigers face Forlan’s side in Kolkata tonightOct 6, 2026
  3. IndiGo fuel surcharge hike makes flights costlier from 6 October3IndiGo fuel surcharge hike makes flights costlier from 6 OctoberOct 6, 2026
  4. India vs West Indies 1st T20I: Samson or Sooryavanshi in Lucknow?4India vs West Indies 1st T20I: Samson or Sooryavanshi in Lucknow?Oct 6, 2026
  5. Lasalgaon onion prices ease to ₹46 a kg, but retail stays near ₹655Lasalgaon onion prices ease to ₹46 a kg, but retail stays near ₹65Oct 6, 2026
  6. Rajasthan panchayat elections: Congress seeks police probe, BJP readies 3 lakh workers6Rajasthan panchayat elections: Congress seeks police probe, BJP readies 3 lakh workersOct 6, 2026
  7. Gold price today: bullion flat on 6 October after MCX slide to ₹1.49 lakh7Gold price today: bullion flat on 6 October after MCX slide to ₹1.49 lakhOct 6, 2026
  8. CSIR NCL MTS Recruitment 2026: 24 posts open for Class 10 pass candidates8CSIR NCL MTS Recruitment 2026: 24 posts open for Class 10 pass candidatesOct 6, 2026
  9. JDA clears encroachments on Jaipur’s New Sanganer Road under HC order9JDA clears encroachments on Jaipur’s New Sanganer Road under HC orderOct 6, 2026
  10. IOCL Apprentice Recruitment 2026: 335 seats in Western Region, apply by 4 November10IOCL Apprentice Recruitment 2026: 335 seats in Western Region, apply by 4 NovemberOct 6, 2026
  11. Ranthambore leopard alerts: Rajasthan trials Kerala-style sensors11Ranthambore leopard alerts: Rajasthan trials Kerala-style sensorsOct 6, 2026
  12. CDAC Recruitment 2026: 951 project posts open, apply by 26 October12CDAC Recruitment 2026: 951 project posts open, apply by 26 OctoberOct 6, 2026
  13. Health groups seek caps on private hospital charges and drug margins13Health groups seek caps on private hospital charges and drug marginsOct 6, 2026
  14. Congress announces Vote Bachao Desh Bachao stir against CEC14Congress announces Vote Bachao Desh Bachao stir against CECOct 6, 2026
  15. Haryana dengue cases rise 58% in 20 days; Gurgaon tops the tally15Haryana dengue cases rise 58% in 20 days; Gurgaon tops the tallyOct 6, 2026
  16. Kerala influenza deaths reach 120 this year, nearly triple 2025’s toll16Kerala influenza deaths reach 120 this year, nearly triple 2025’s tollOct 6, 2026
  17. Baththa box office: Vijay Sethupathi film earns ₹11.35 crore in five days17Baththa box office: Vijay Sethupathi film earns ₹11.35 crore in five daysOct 6, 2026
  18. Digger box office flop: Tom Cruise film opens to million as Verity leads18Digger box office flop: Tom Cruise film opens to $8 million as Verity leadsOct 6, 2026
  19. Supreme Court notice on CEC Gyanesh Kumar; says it never cleared new Form 619Supreme Court notice on CEC Gyanesh Kumar; says it never cleared new Form 6Oct 6, 2026
  20. Film City fire hits Pati Patni Aur Panga 2 set; AICWA seeks FIR20Film City fire hits Pati Patni Aur Panga 2 set; AICWA seeks FIROct 6, 2026
  21. Richa Chadha says 2026 is not yet a landmark year for content cinema21Richa Chadha says 2026 is not yet a landmark year for content cinemaOct 6, 2026
  22. Mahakavya Shri Ramayan Katha producer alleges negative marketing22Mahakavya Shri Ramayan Katha producer alleges negative marketingOct 6, 2026
  23. Women’s safety in Delhi: Supreme Court asks police for 24-hour watch cells23Women’s safety in Delhi: Supreme Court asks police for 24-hour watch cellsOct 6, 2026
  24. Drishyam 3 box office crosses ₹300 crore worldwide after first Monday24Drishyam 3 box office crosses ₹300 crore worldwide after first MondayOct 6, 2026
  25. Supreme Court seeks Centre’s plan for Central Secretariat Library move25Supreme Court seeks Centre’s plan for Central Secretariat Library moveOct 6, 2026
  26. India Mobile Congress 2026 opens 7 October at Yashobhoomi26India Mobile Congress 2026 opens 7 October at YashobhoomiOct 6, 2026
  27. TRAI won’t act on tariff ‘guesswork’, insists on voice-only plans27TRAI won’t act on tariff ‘guesswork’, insists on voice-only plansOct 6, 2026
  28. Vivo V80 and X Fold 6 headline Vivo’s India launch event today28Vivo V80 and X Fold 6 headline Vivo’s India launch event todayOct 6, 2026
  29. BigEndian gets ₹130 crore to build an India-made AI vision chip29BigEndian gets ₹130 crore to build an India-made AI vision chipOct 6, 2026
  30. Karnataka AI training to expand to government schools from Class 630Karnataka AI training to expand to government schools from Class 6Oct 6, 2026

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top