White House claims pro-Trump ad it paid Fox to air was ‘public service announcement’

The White House defended paying Fox News to air a pro-Trump advertisement this week, calling it a routine "public service announcement" despite objections from some Democrats who argue the taxpayer-funded spot could amount to illegal government propaganda aimed at influencing the upcoming midterm elections, according to The Guardian.

The 30-second broadcast version features audio of Donald Trump telling supporters in Las Vegas last month that "together we will defeat communism, socialism and Marxism in America," layered over a rapid montage of Trump images and text warning "America will never be a communist country." It closes with Ultimate Fighting Championship chief executive Dana White calling Trump "the toughest, most resilient human being I have ever met in my life," a line White also used at the 2024 Republican national convention. Onscreen captions tout tax cuts and manufacturing gains, and a closing caption discloses it was "Paid for by the US government." The ad aired as Trump hosted China's leader for a state visit.

The White House likened the spot to nonpartisan efforts from earlier administrations, citing a 2002 anti-drug Super Bowl ad under George W Bush, a 2015 health insurance campaign during Barack Obama's presidency, and a 2021 Covid-19 vaccine push under Joe Biden. Unlike those ads, none of which named or pictured the sitting president, the Trump spot shows him in nearly every frame, in moments including a military raid on Venezuela, a state dinner for Mohammed bin Salman, and accepting the FIFA peace prize.

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