Democrats Ask GAO to Probe Taxpayer-Funded Trump Ads
Two Democratic members of the U.S. House of Representatives have formally requested that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) look into a set of government-funded advertisements featuring President Donald Trump that were broadcast last month.
Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland, the ranking Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, and Rep. George Whitesides of California sent a letter to GAO leadership seeking an inquiry into why, in their words, "the American people are apparently paying for Donald Trump to create desperate preelection propaganda."
In the letter, the lawmakers argued that the ads amount to an unlawful expenditure of taxpayer money. They pointed out that the commercials closely mirror those used by Trump during his 2024 presidential campaign, noting that they employ the same video clips and the same "inept ideological messaging."
The congressmen further alleged that Trump broke several federal laws by directing public funds toward the television spots. Among the statutes they cited was the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026, which prohibits the use of appropriated funds "for publicity or propaganda purposes within the United States" unless Congress has given its approval.
Raskin and Whitesides also referenced the Anti-Deficiency Act and other federal criminal provisions in their letter. They concluded that the GAO bears "an important responsibility to hold accountable members of his Administration who violate the laws and policies under your purview."
A GAO spokesperson confirmed to The Hill that the office had received the congressional request. "GAO has a process it goes through to determine whether we do work and when, which we are working through right now," the spokesperson said.
Last month, the federal government released several advertisements focusing on various aspects of the Trump agenda. The White House has described them as "public service announcements" that promote Trump and his administration. Each ad carries a disclaimer stating, "Paid for by the U.S. Government."
When questioned about the campaign, Trump told reporters, "I'm not running for office, first of all." He added, "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."
Brendan Carr, who chairs the Federal Communications Commission, said the advertisements appeared to him as "normal course public service announcements that you see all the time," and he stated that they do not require any review by his agency.
Criticism of the ad campaign has also come from Republicans in the Senate. Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota told reporters on Monday, "It's a great message. I like the message, but it shouldn't be paid for by taxpayer dollars."
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