Trump trolled by fellow Republican over ‘ominous’ TV ads: ‘This is completely legal... in banana republics’

Kentucky Republican Rep. Thomas Massie, who is leaving Congress, has criticized President Donald Trump over a set of government-funded television ads that put the president front and center ahead of the November 3 midterms. Three spots have aired so far. Massie objected most to one showing Trump in black and white walking through a hallway while a rally recording vows a "final battle" against the deep state. Massie, who pushed for release of the Jeffrey Epstein files and recently tried to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, posted on X that such ads are legal only in "banana republics" and are the sort of waste DOGE was meant to target, according to The Independent.

The Daily Beast reports that this spot largely reuses one from 2024, adding only a line saying the government paid for it. The other two ads stitch together Trump's criticisms of democratic socialism and lines from his Fourth of July speech, set over Mount Rushmore footage. White House spokesperson Davis Ingle defended Trump as the party's best messenger and listed accomplishments including tax cuts, cheaper prescription drugs and border security. Communications Director Steven Cheung called the spots public service announcements and urged followers not to let the "Fake News" distort them.

Critics included George Conway, a Democratic congressional candidate, who attacked the spending as serving Trump's ego; former White House ethics lawyer Richard W Painter, who said impeachment could be warranted; and Norm Eisen, who told The New York Times the ads openly reuse earlier political conduct.

Summarized by PolitiKool from The Independent’s reporting. Read the full story at The Independent →