Trump said he’d ‘gladly pay the money’ for the taxpayer-funded ads starring him if they’re wrong, then insisted ‘I’m not running for office’

President Donald Trump is pushing back against the growing criticism surrounding a series of government-funded television ads that feature him and his administration. The president addressed the controversy head-on, claiming that the spots are intended to boost national morale rather than serve any political purpose.

As reported by The Hill, the federal government has released three of these spots so far, which the White House maintains are public service announcements. The ads have reportedly been financed using federal funds from the Department of Homeland Security, which awarded a $20 million contract to the LMD Agency, Inc. to manage a national media campaign. According to estimates from the firm AdImpact, the government has already spent $2.5 million to air these spots.

One of the ads, which aired during NFL games, features the president narrating a message about a final battle against various opponents. Another spot shows the president speaking at Mount Rushmore, while a third focuses on his economic record. The use of these ads has sparked a firestorm of debate, with critics pointing to federal laws that typically prohibit the use of public money for political advertising or propaganda.

Trump says he’s not promoting himself 

Despite the pushback, the president insisted that he is not focused on his own political standing. “I’m not running for office, first of all,” Trump told reporters. He explained that the content is patriotic in nature. “When I’m talking about making America great, making our country great, that’s a countrywide ad. That’s an ad for the spirit of our country,” he stated.

The president even offered to handle the costs himself if the public finds the spending to be inappropriate. “Now, if somebody said that that’s wrong, I’ll gladly pay the money, but these are ads for the country,” the president said. “I’m not promoting a candidate. I’m not promoting myself because I’m not running for office.”

The White House has defended the legality of the campaign, noting that the ads do not include a call to action and pointing out that the president is not on the November ballot. In a formal statement, the administration characterized the criticism as unfair, as AOL reports. 

“The attacks on President Donald J. Trump’s public service announcements are highly dishonest. The announcements are very clearly not campaign ads; President Trump is not on the ballot, and there is no call to action,” the White House said.

The controversy has crossed party lines, drawing frustration from both sides of the aisle. While some lawmakers have voiced concerns about the optics and the funding source, Senate Majority Leader John Thune expressed a common sentiment among those who take issue with the move. “It’s a great message. I like the message, but it shouldn’t be paid for by taxpayer dollars,” Thune told reporters.