NEW YORK — Taxpayer-funded television ads featuring President Donald Trump drew fresh scrutiny Tuesday after the recording artist behind a song used in one spot demanded the White House stop using his music and a watchdog group asked federal regulators to pull the commercials from the air.
The developments added to growing criticism of the three nationally broadcast ads, which celebrate a "golden age of America" and are airing five weeks before midterm elections, with ethics experts and lawmakers from both parties questioning whether public funds are being used to promote Trump politically.
Attorneys for Christian Berishaj, who performs as JMSN, sent the White House a cease-and-desist letter saying his song "Love Me" was used without permission, while Public Citizen filed complaints with regulators arguing the spots are campaign advertisements that should not be produced or distributed with taxpayer resources.
People are also reading…
Democratic lawmakers said the White House transferred $20 million in Homeland Security Department funds to air the ads.
The chair of the Federal Communications Commission said Wednesday that the ads are not improper and do not raise red flags. "There's nothing in there that strikes me to merit any sort of FCC review or any liability for any broadcaster for running a regular, normal (public service announcement)," FCC Chair Brendan Carr, a Republican whom Trump named head of the agency in January 2025.
President Donald Trump is depicted in this screengrab taken from a White House video. Critics say the administration is using public dollars to pay for a television ad that features Trump urging Americans to "defeat communism," while touting his economic record and personal resilience, as a choir in the background recites the verse "Love me."
Sens. Patty Murray, D-Wash., and Chris Murphy, D-Conn., asked Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin on Tuesday to answer for the ads.
"This administration’s defense of using Americans’ tax dollars to air these ads is as absurd as it is offensive," they wrote in a letter to Mullin.
The White House did not immediately respond to Reuters questions Tuesday about the cost of the ads or criticism that they amount to political advertising funded by taxpayers. It previously defended the spots as "public service announcements" intended to promote patriotism rather than campaign ads.
The ads end with the disclaimer "Paid for by the US Government."
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.
Berishaj said in an Instagram post that he would "never authorize my music to be used for ANY political agenda or campaign."
Public Citizen asked broadcasters to stop airing the spots and urged federal authorities to investigate whether executive branch officials improperly engaged in partisan political activity.
"These ads are campaign advertisements, which should be produced and distributed on campaign time and without involving taxpayer dollars," the group said.
Critics say the spots may violate longstanding restrictions on government propaganda and political activity.
