Maggie Hassan questions legality of taxpayer-funded pro-Trump ad on Fox News

Democratic lawmakers, including Senator Maggie Hassan and Representative Jamie Raskin, are challenging the legality of a taxpayer-funded television advertisement promoting President Donald Trump that began airing on Fox News and Newsmax. The 30-second spot, which cost at least $443,000, features partisan slogans, accomplishments, and praise from UFC head Dana White. While the White House defends the ad as a patriotic public service announcement, critics argue it violates federal laws against using public funds for political propaganda.

Legality of the advertisement

• ▪Senator Maggie Hassan and Representative Jamie Raskin warned the advertisement may violate federal laws; Hassan wrote White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles questioning its legality and requesting details on funding, production, and booking costs.
• ▪Representative Jamie Raskin suggested on social media that the White House-produced 30-second pro-Trump advertisement could constitute felony criminal theft and conversion of government property for political campaign purposes

Airing and cost of the advertisement

• ▪The Trump administration has spent at least $443,000 to air the White House-produced 30-second pro-Trump advertisement on Fox News and Newsmax, according to reports from the Associated Press and tracking firm AdImpact
• ▪A 30-second television advertisement promoting President Donald Trump began airing on cable networks on September 23, 2026, carrying an onscreen disclosure stating it was paid for by the U.S. government.
• ▪The White House-produced 30-second pro-Trump advertisement aired on Fox News in New York City, Los Angeles, Miami, and Washington D.C., and on Newsmax in Chicago

Content of the advertisement

• ▪The 30-second advertisement features audio of Donald Trump pledging to defeat communism, socialism, and Marxism, alongside onscreen text boasting about accomplishments like tax cuts and manufacturing growth.
• ▪The White House-produced 30-second pro-Trump advertisement features a rapid-fire montage of Donald Trump during his second term and closes with a tribute from Ultimate Fighting Championship chief executive Dana White praising Trump's resilience

Use of JMSN's song

• ▪The 30-second broadcast advertisement features a chorus singing the words 'love me' from the song of the same name by JMSN.
• ▪Detroit-born artist JMSN stated on social media that the White House used his song 'Love Me' illegally in the 30-second pro-Trump advertisement aired on Fox News without his permission, and that he is consulting lawyers

White House defense of the advertisement

• ▪The White House compared its advertisement to non-partisan public service campaigns from prior administrations, including a 2002 anti-drug Super Bowl ad, a 2015 Healthcare.gov ad, and a 2021 Covid-19 vaccine ad.
• ▪On September 25, 2026, the White House defended the advertisement as a patriotic public service announcement with no call to action since Donald Trump is not on the ballot, intended to remind Americans to love and defend their country.

Past public service advertisements

• ▪The 2002 anti-drug Super Bowl advertisement from the Bush administration connected drug use by young Americans to the funding of terrorist attacks.
• ▪Unlike the Trump administration's 30-second pro-Trump advertisement aired on Fox News, the public service advertisements from the Bush, Obama, and Biden administrations did not feature images of the sitting presidents or contain partisan messaging

Debatable claims

• ▪Promoting patriotism is a legitimate use of federal public service announcement funds
• ▪The Trump administration's taxpayer-funded television advertisement is illegal political propaganda
• ▪Airing government-funded advertisements on partisan cable networks does more harm than good
• ▪Taxpayer-funded public service announcements should be prohibited from featuring the sitting president