WASHINGTON – In case you missed it, U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Ranking Member of the Joint Economic Committee and a senior member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, is calling for immediate answers about new taxpayer-funded political advertisements promoting President Donald Trump. The new ads have no clear purpose besides promoting President Trump weeks ahead of a midterm election and feature a disclaimer at the end that they were “Paid for by the U.S. Government.” Over the weekend, the White House ran additional ads beyond the version Senator Hassan originally flagged, with outside estimates showing that the Administration has spent more than $1 million on the advertising campaign.
“Americans are struggling to make ends meet as costs soar because of President Trump’s tariffs and war. Now, President Trump is using their tax money on ads that serve no other purpose than to try to burnish the President’s image five weeks before an election,” said Senator Hassan in response to the expansion of the ad campaign. “With estimated spending on these ads now more than $1 million – and two more ads airing over the weekend – Americans deserve full transparency on how their taxpayer dollars are being misused.”
In a letter to White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Senator Hassan is pushing for the White House to release detailed information about the total cost of running the advertisements nationwide, as well as the production costs. Additionally, Senator Hassan is pushing the White House to identify the source of this funding, including if running these ads resulted in funding diverted from federal agencies, as well as information on the contractors involved in the production process.
Read Senator Hassan’s letter here and see coverage highlights below:
CNN NewsNight with Abby Phillips
Anchor: "Tonight, a public service announcement or propaganda? With 40 days until the midterms, the White House is airing a new TV ad promoting President Trump, and the taxpayers are the ones footing the bill [...]
“In a letter that was sent to the White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Democratic Senator Maggie Hassan demanded to know the cost of this ad, saying, quote, 'It raises deep concerns about the Trump administration's use of taxpayer dollars and its compliance with federal laws that prohibit the use of appropriated funds for the promotion of a political party or candidate'."
Reporter: “One other thing Trump has done to advance his narrative is launch a series of political advertisements praising Trump, the ads say they're being paid for not by his political pack, but by taxpayers, by the U.S. government. Senator Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire, a Democrat, sent a letter yesterday to the White House calling that ad government-funded propaganda.”
The New York Times: ‘Love Me’ Ad Promotes Trump With Public Money Ahead of the Midterms
[...] Senator Maggie Hassan, Democrat of New Hampshire, sent a letter earlier Thursday demanding that the White House chief of staff, Susie Wiles, divulge several details about the commercial. She asked how much the ad cost to produce and air; which federal agencies and individuals were involved; who provided the federal funds; and for the names of any outside contractors that were used. She is asking for copies of contracts as well as invoices.
“The advertisement raises deep concerns about the Trump Administration’s use of taxpayer dollars and its compliance with federal laws that prohibit the use of appropriated funds for the promotion of a political party or candidate,” Ms. Hassan wrote in the letter addressed to Ms. Wiles, which was provided to The New York Times.
The Atlantic: Trump’s Public Service Announcement: ‘Love Me’
[...] Senator Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire, who is poised to become the top Democrat on a key oversight committee, sent a letter today to Susie Wiles, the White House chief of staff, with detailed questions about the cost, source of funds, and legal basis for the spot. “The advertisement does not have a clear official government purpose and appears to run afoul of federal prohibitions against the use of appropriated funds,” she wrote.
CBS: New Trump-focused "Love Me" ad campaign paid for by taxpayers hits airwaves
[...] Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire wrote to White House chief of staff Susie Wiles to demand information about the cost of running the ad and said it "raises deep concerns about the Trump Administration's use of taxpayer dollars."
"The advertisement does not have a clear official government purpose and appears to run afoul of federal prohibitions against the use of appropriated funds as part of 'a general propaganda effort designed to aid a political party or candidates,'" Hassan wrote. She also asked the White House for information about the contractors involved, the source of the funding and whether funding was diverted from federal agencies in order to run the ad.
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