Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
The Trump administration is using taxpayer funds to run a television advertisement from Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign, drawing criticism from lawmakers in both parties who say the ads are political in nature. The White House has defended the spots as “public service announcements” similar to those used by past presidents.
The latest 30-second video is part of a wider series of advertisements promoting Trump ahead of the midterms. According to AdImpact, which tracks media spending, spending on the newest ad has already crossed about USD 319,000.
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The black-and-white video is virtually identical to one that aired in 2024. It shows Trump walking down a hallway as his voice warns of a “final battle” against “globalists” and “warmongers”. It ends with Trump looking straight into the camera with the message: “Paid for by the US Government.” The 2024 version of the ad from the Trump campaign had urged viewers to “Join President Trump’s Fight for America.” In the narration, Trump says: “With you at my side, we will demolish the deep state. We will expel the war mongers from our government. We will drive out the globalists; we will cast out the communists, Marxists, and fascists. We will throw off the sick political class that hates our country. We will rout the fake news media, and we will liberate America from these villains once and for all.”
Lawmakers from both parties have criticised the new series of ads and the use of taxpayer money for them. The White House has said the ads are like those used by earlier administrations, though those previous campaigns promoted specific policies rather than the person in the Oval Office. The new ad comes in addition to a minute-long spot that began airing on Friday, featuring scenic visuals of Mount Rushmore at night along with quotes and clips from Trump’s Fourth of July weekend speech there marking the country’s 250th anniversary. An earlier 30-second advertisement that started airing on Wednesday showed clips of Trump speaking about defeating communism, along with onscreen text promoting the “largest tax cuts in history”, “reigniting American manufacturing” and a call to “defend law and order and police”.
In a statement on Friday, the White House defended what it called “public service announcements” and rejected criticism as “deeply dishonest”. “The announcements are very clearly not campaign ads; President Trump is not on the ballot and there is no call to action,” it said. “Instead, the announcements are a reminder for Americans to love their country and know why it’s worth defending – at home, at the border, and abroad.” The White House also pointed to examples such as George W. Bush’s administration airing a campaign about a Medicare law and the Biden administration running one about COVID-19 vaccinations. Together, the ads and the response from the White House have kept the focus on whether taxpayer-funded government messaging has crossed into overt political promotion.
With PTI Inputs
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SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
