A $20 million federal contract is financing an ads campaign that praises Trump with DHS funds. The White House says the commercials are public service announcements.
The Trump administration used Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funds to air advertisements featuring the president just weeks before the midterm elections.
The Trump administration used funds from the Department of Homeland Security to air TV ads featuring President Trump in recent days, according to sources familiar with the matter. https://t.co/22sQaNZW8T
— ABC News (@ABC) September 29, 2026
On September 19, $20 million was transferred to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) account for «commemorative events».
A day later, CBP awarded LMD Agency, Inc. a $20 million contract for a «national media campaign». The ads began airing days later.
The funds come from the tax and spending law known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, passed in 2025, which included funding for border security and related commemorative activities.
The Department of Homeland Security has tapped $20 million to pay for campaign-style ads glorifying President Donald Trump, drawing bipartisan outcry. | LINK IN BIO pic.twitter.com/Iwumvb9EDA
— WMTW TV (@WMTWTV) September 30, 2026
The commercials include messages from Trump about patriotism, his administration, and his political opponents. Each ad ends by identifying the U.S. government as the source of the funding.
One calls for Americans to «defeat communism», while another uses footage from his July 4 speech at Mount Rushmore.
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A third commercial revives a message previously used by Trump's presidential campaign, in which he speaks of a «final battle» against the «deep state» and other opponents.
The White House says the commercials are public service announcements intended to promote patriotism and explain what makes the United States «worth defending».
It has also compared them to government campaigns under previous administrations, including initiatives involving vaccines, Medicare, and drug use prevention.
The legal debate, however, remains unresolved. Lawmakers and watchdog groups are questioning whether messages that praise the president can be funded with federal resources subject to restrictions on political propaganda.
Democratic Senators Patty Murray and Chris Murphy asked DHS to explain the source of the funds, how much has been spent, and whether the department plans to continue airing or producing new ads.
Republican Susan Collins also questioned the campaign and confirmed that the money came from funds intended for CBP, according to reports published Tuesday.
The controversy comes just weeks before the midterm elections, when seats in both the House of Representatives and the Senate will be at stake.
Sources: ABC News, USA Today.
