The Trump administration won’t be reimbursing Americans for its $20 million, taxpayer-funded, pro–Donald Trump propaganda ads.
The issue was raised to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin Sunday on CBS’s Face the Nation.
“Money that was allocated by Congress to Customs and Border Patrol was used to purchase roughly $20 million in ads that have run on networks.... It’s touting President Trump’s accomplishments and also him personally,” host Margaret Brennan said. “The president has since said his political action committee will pay for future ads.… What about the past spending? Will U.S. taxpayers be reimbursed for the money that was spent on this?”
“Any time we can do a public service announcement and brag about America, I’m all about it,” Mullin replied. “You have so much negative media that’s out there … constantly controversy … I think 99 percent of the coverage of President Trump is negative—”
“So no reimbursement of the $20 million?”
Mullin ignored the question and continued on.
“We have the most secure border in our nation’s history. Fentanyl deaths are dropping. Drug apprehension is gaining speed every single day. And we should be bragging about what’s happening inside America,” he said. “I commend the opportunity of President Trump to give us the opportunity to brag about America.”
“OK. So no reimbursement. Secretary Mullin, thank you,” Brennan concluded.
That is your money. The president has funded two different hype videos for himself, running them multiple times on multiple channels as a contentious midterm election draws nearer. There’s the strange “Love Me” ad, which debuted late September on Fox News during Jesse Watters Primetime, and the “Final Battle” one in which a voiceover of the president promises to “demolish the deep state,” “expel the warmongers,” “drive out the globalists,” and “cast out the Communists.” The commercials have drawn criticism from even Republican senators for their use of DHS funds.
The ads aren’t even convincing the people who paid for them, as 86 percent of Americans disapprove of Trump’s use of taxpayer funds on the commercials.