A TV spot marked “Paid for by the U.S. Government,” showing Donald Trump condemning communism, aired on Fox News this week. A law professor said federal funds cannot pay for a political ad; the White House called it a nonpartisan public-service announcement.
The spot includes Dana White praising Trump at the 2024 Republican National Convention and uses JMSN’s song “Love Me” without authorization, the musician told HuffPost; he said he was seeking a lawyer. The White House did not identify which government office funded the ad or explain why it qualified as a PSA.
Richard Painter said the spot was unlike issue-focused government PSAs, noting that it promotes Trump without specifying a communist threat and aired weeks before election day. Critics called it propaganda and cited the Hatch Act, although presidents and vice presidents are exempt. Michael J. Gerhardt said the ad blurs campaigning with presidential communication and that Trump could be found to have abused his office, with impeachment a possible sanction.
