The American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for Oct. 5, 2026
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October 4, 2026 12:47 pmWASHINGTON, DC — The Trump administration began airing paid television advertising Sept. 23rd designed to tout President Trump’s conservative accomplishments right before the midterms – and carrying the disclosure “Paid for by the U.S. Government”. Multiple good government groups say it violates several federal statutes.
The slickly-produced ads look, sound and feel like patriotic Trump campaign ads, with the President repeating “America Will Never Be a Community Country”, but interspersed with graphics that say “Largest Tax Cut in History” and “Reigniting American Manufacturing”, and accompanied by a chorus singing, “Love me, Love me.” Reporting by the Washington Post showed $20 million dollars to pay for the ads shifted to a Customs and Border Patrol account for “Line-of-Duty death memorials, Department or agency anniversaries, and commendation ceremonies.”
The White House calls them public service announcements, but Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, or CREW, says federal law prohibits such self promotion. The latest statute, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, reads: “[n]o part of any appropriation contained in this or any other Act shall be used directly or indirectly, including by private contractor, for publicity or propaganda purposes.” Another law, the Purpose Statute, limits an agency’s communications to the appropriation for which it was intended. The ads may also violate the Hatch Act ethics rules and the Antideficiency Act.
We have links to the ads, and statutes prohibiting them at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl.
Today’s Links
Articles & Resources
The White House – TV Advertising: America Will Never Be A Socialist/Communist Country
The White House – TV Advertising: America Will Never Be a Communist Country
CNN – ‘God made Trump’ ad and at least 12 others are part of controversial taxpayer-funded ad campaign
C.R.E.W. – Trump’s taxpayer-funded propaganda ads violate multiple federal laws
C.R.E.W. – Letter to DHS Inspector General with Complaint
States Newsroom – Trump TV ads paid for with $20M in Homeland Security funds, Dems find
Office of the Special Counsel – The Hatch Act
US Congress – The Consolidated Appropriations Act, Section 8001
General Accounting Office – The Purpose Statute
General Accounting Office – Antideficiency Act
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U.S. Election Assistance Commission – How to Register And Vote in Your State
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