Donald Trump was accused of illegal «propaganda» on Monday (09/28) by the opposition, following the airing of a television spot that praised the American president and was paid for by the government — just weeks before the critical midterm elections.
Trump: The ad that sparked a backlash
The controversial spot aired during American football games on Sunday (09/27). According to US media, Trump appeared in a short black-and-white clip, walking silently down a corridor with a stern expression, staring directly into the camera, while excerpts from his speeches play in the background — speeches in which he rails against “warmongers,” “communists,” and “advocates of a globalist world order.”
The 30-second video opens with the phrase “This is the final battle,” and closes with a disclaimer at the bottom of the screen reading: “Paid for by the United States Government.”
The Republican billionaire had previously posted this video in 2023 on his Truth Social network, where it was listed as having been funded by his campaign.
Fierce criticism from the opposition
The airing of this video, just weeks before the US midterm elections, drew sharp criticism from the opposition. “It is illegal for the government to use American taxpayers’ money to fund political advertisements. (…) This is propaganda, and you are footing the bill,” said Democratic congressman Mike Levin in a video message posted today on X.
Just in case it wasn’t clear, when they say the U.S. Government’s paying for this, that’s YOUR taxpayer dollars their using.
I’ll say this as many times as I need to: it is ILLEGAL to use American taxpayer dollars from the government to pay for candidates’ or parties’ political… pic.twitter.com/Mx2VdEqQ3d
— Rep. Mike Levin (@RepMikeLevin) September 28, 2026
“It’s propaganda. It’s illegal,” declared Democratic Senator John Hickenlooper in a post on the same platform.
The White House response
The White House argued that the video does not constitute a political advertisement — which would be subject to strict regulations — but rather a “public service announcement,” which the government has the legal right to broadcast.
The video has an “educational and patriotic character,” the government stated in a press release. A US official added that Donald Trump is not himself “a candidate” in this fall’s congressional elections, and argued that the video “does not call for any specific action.”
The 80-year-old billionaire recently urged voters to act as though he were a candidate in these midterm elections — elections that could cost him control of Congress.
The previous week, another promotional spot praising the president’s record was also released, bearing the same disclaimer: “Paid for by the United States Government.” That ad featured the repeated slogan “America will never be a communist country,” set to a song looping the lyric “Love me.”
