Republicans turn on President Donald Trump over his new taxpayer-funded ad campaign: ‘It is illegal, unethical and politically tone deaf,’ former RNC chair Michael Steele says

Republicans are breaking with President Donald Trump over his administration’s taxpayer-funded advertising campaign, with some of the highest-ranking GOP officials publicly criticizing the spending.

Backlash over Donald Trump ad

The White House has aired three advertisements promoting Trump and his policies ahead of November’s midterm elections, drawing bipartisan scrutiny over whether public money should be used for commercials that prominently feature the president.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune told reporters on Monday, September 28, that while he supports the message, taxpayers should not be footing the bill.

“It’s a great message. I like the message. But it shouldn’t be paid for with taxpayer dollars,” he said, according to Politico.

Thune joins several Republicans who have challenged the Trump administration over the advertisements, which the White House describes as public service announcements.

One commercial features Trump criticizing communism as the song “Love Me” by JMSN plays in the background. It concludes with UFC CEO Dana White praising Trump as the “toughest, most resilient person that I’ve ever met.”

Another features Trump discussing his campaign pledges to “demolish the deep state” and expel “the warmongers from our government.” A third highlights what Trump calls the nation’s “golden age of America” alongside footage of him speaking at Mount Rushmore.

‘Politically tone deaf’

Michael Steele, the former chair of the RNC, also condemned the ads.

“This is a political ad produced by the federal government. It was paid for with your tax dollars. It is propaganda. This should never happen because it is illegal, unethical and politically tone deaf,” he wrote on X.

Texas Republican Sen. John Cornyn also objected to taxpayers financing the commercials.

“We all know you’re not supposed to use taxpayer money for that purpose,” he told The Hill.

The campaign comes just weeks before the midterms, when control of Congress is at stake. Recent estimates indicate the government has spent at least $1.5 million on the three advertisements, although the White House has defended them as patriotic public service announcements rather than campaign advertising.

Other Republicans speak out

Louisiana Republican Sen. John Kennedy criticized the campaign on Sunday, September 27, during an appearance on CBS News’ Face the Nation.

“I don’t think any public official, including President Trump or Kristi Noem or John Kennedy, should spend public money on private ads for themselves,” Kennedy said. “Now, the White House sees it differently, but I think there ought to be a rule that you can’t — well, there probably is a rule — you can’t spend public money to promote yourself.”

Rep. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican and frequent Trump critic, went further by comparing the taxpayer-funded advertisements to political messaging associated with a banana republic.

“Don’t worry, using taxpayer dollars to run ominous campaign ads of the president has been done before and is completely legal… in banana republics,” Massie wrote.

The White House has argued that Trump is not on the ballot and the spots contain no call to political action.