White House claims pro-Trump ad it paid Fox to air was ‘public service announcement’
The White House defended its use of taxpayer funds to air a pro-Trump advertisement on Fox News, characterizing it as a routine public service announcement rather than political campaign material. Critics and Democrats argue the ad constitutes illegal government propaganda designed to influence voters in the upcoming midterm elections by featuring partisan messaging and praise for the president. The administration maintains that the content is not a campaign ad because Trump is not on the ballot, despite the broadcast version including specific political slogans and endorsements.
- ▪The White House stated that the pro-Trump ad aired on Fox News was a public service announcement similar to those produced by previous administrations.
- ▪Democrats criticized the ad as potentially illegal government propaganda aimed at influencing voters in the upcoming midterm elections.
- ▪The broadcast version of the ad included partisan messaging, such as slogans about tax cuts and manufacturing, along with a tribute from UFC CEO Dana White.
- ▪The White House argued that the ad was not a campaign advertisement because President Trump is not on the ballot and there is no direct call to action.
- ▪The ad aired during a period when Trump was hosting the leader of China for a state visit and included audio of him urging supporters to defeat communism.
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| Original publisher | The Guardian — US |
| Canonical URL | https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/sep/25/white-house-pro-trump-ad-fox |
| Publication time | Fri, 25 Sep 2026 23:02:35 GMT |
| Retrieval time | 2026-09-25T23:20:23.929Z |
| Last seen | 2026-09-25T23:20:23.929Z |
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| Summary source text | contentText |
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| Cluster | A3iV5AQeDzUV · 1 stories |
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Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
A screenshot from a White House ad for Donald Trump, showing him accepting the Fifa peace prize. Photograph: White HouseView image in fullscreenA screenshot from a White House ad for Donald Trump, showing him accepting the Fifa peace prize. Photograph: White HouseTrump administrationWhite House claims pro-Trump ad it paid Fox to air was ‘public service announcement’Some Democrats say taxpayer-funded ad could be illegal government propaganda aimed at influencing votersRobert MackeyFri 25 Sep 2026 19.02 EDTLast modified on Fri 25 Sep 2026 19.04 EDTSharePrefer the Guardian on GoogleThe White House on Friday defended its decision to use taxpayer funds to buy airtime on Fox News for a White House-produced, pro-Trump ad that some Democrats said could be illegal government propaganda aimed at…
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