- United States
- Utah
- Letter
Demand a full investigation into the Trump administration's use of $20 million in Department of Homeland Security funds to air self-promotional ads — and push to get that money back. The Wall Street Journal confirmed the funds came directly from U.S. Customs and Border Protection. This isn't a gray area. Spending taxpayer dollars on ads that praise the president by name, set to a song called "Love Me," almost certainly violates the Hatch Act's prohibition on using executive branch resources for political purposes.
These ads have already aired nearly 2,400 times on national and local television, costing an estimated $1.7 million so far. That's border security money. That's money that was supposed to protect Americans, not stroke the president's ego. Senators Murray and Murphy have already written to DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin demanding answers. I want to know where you stand. Call for the ads to come down immediately, demand full repayment to taxpayers, and support accountability for everyone who signed off on this scheme.