Reps. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) and George Whitesides (D-Calif.) requested federal investigations on Thursday into a series of government-funded television advertisements featuring President Donald Trump. In a letter to the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) and the U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC), the lawmakers alleged the ads constitute an illegal use of taxpayer funds for political propaganda ahead of the November midterm elections. The GAO, a nonpartisan congressional watchdog, confirmed receipt of the request and stated it is currently evaluating whether to proceed with an inquiry.
The dispute involves at least two 30-second advertisements that began airing on September 23. One ad features images of the president accompanied by audio of UFC President Dana White praising Trump's resilience, while another includes footage of Trump with audio criticizing the "deep state." Both advertisements carry a disclaimer stating they were "Paid for by the U.S. Government." The White House has defended the campaign as "public service announcements" and described them as "educational and unapologetically patriotic."
The congressional request asks the GAO to identify the specific accounts and total dollar amounts used to produce and distribute the ads across television and social media. Raskin and Whitesides cited potential violations of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026, which prohibits the use of funds for domestic propaganda unless authorized by Congress. They also cited the Anti-Deficiency Act, which prevents federal officials from spending money beyond what is appropriated, and the Hatch Act, which restricts executive branch employees from using official authority to influence elections.
The outcome of this probe could determine the financial liability of administration officials and set a precedent for how the executive branch utilizes taxpayer-funded "public service announcements" during an election year. A similar advertising campaign conducted last year by the Department of Homeland Security cost more than $200 million, illustrating the potential scale of agency marketing budgets. If the GAO or OSC finds the spending was unauthorized, officials could face administrative penalties or be found in violation of federal criminal statutes regarding the misuse of public money.
For the general public, the investigation centers on whether federal tax dollars were used for authorized government information or for political activity. President Trump stated on Wednesday, September 30, that he would "gladly pay the money" if the ads were determined to be improper, though he maintained he is not currently a candidate on the ballot. Several Republican senators, including Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.), have also questioned the use of public funds for the ads, while FCC Chair Brendan Carr defended them as normal public service announcements. The GAO has not yet set a deadline for its decision on whether to open a formal probe.