Stop Taxpayer-Funded Political Ads Disguised as PSAs

I'm writing to urge you to act against the White House's use of taxpayer money to air political advertisements it calls "public service announcements." The latest spot, "Final Battle," is nearly identical to a 2024 Trump campaign ad. The only real change is that the ending now reads "Paid for by the U.S. Government" instead of asking viewers to join the campaign. Earlier spots in the series push the same themes Republican candidates are running on this fall: tax cuts, crime, and branding opponents as communists. These ads began airing weeks before the midterm elections. That timing is not a coincidence, and it should concern anyone who values fair elections, whatever their party. A legitimate PSA has a specific purpose that benefits the public. It tells people how to enroll in a program, get a vaccine, prepare for a disaster, or claim a benefit they have earned. These ads do none of that. The White House itself says there is "no call to action." If they aren't asking the public to do anything, what are taxpayers paying for? The answer appears to be promotion of the president and his political messaging. Promoting a president, a party, or its beliefs is not a public service. This spending comes while agencies are being told to do more with less and programs Americans depend on face cuts. Every dollar spent on self-promotion is a dollar not spent on services for the people who are paying the bill. Hundreds of thousands have already been spent, and the White House has not even said which funds are being used. Current appropriations law bars federal funds from being used for "publicity or propaganda purposes." Senators from both parties, including Sen. John Kennedy and Sen. Thom Tillis, have called these ads inappropriate. This should not be a partisan issue. It would be wrong under any president. I ask that you: 1. Formally request a GAO legal opinion on whether these ads violate the publicity-or-propaganda prohibition. 2. Demand that the White House disclose the cost of the ads and which appropriation is funding them. 3. Support stronger appropriations language that clearly prohibits taxpayer-funded ads featuring the image or voice of a sitting official during election season. Taxpayer money belongs to the public. It should serve the public, not a political campaign.