--- title: "Trump administration creates 13 taxpayer-funded campaign ads" publication: "MediaBias News" url: "https://mediabias.news/politics/trump-administration-creates-13-taxpayer-funded-campaign-ads" api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/trump-administration-creates-13-taxpayer-funded-campaign-ads" markdown: "https://mediabias.news/politics/trump-administration-creates-13-taxpayer-funded-campaign-ads.md" audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/trump-administration-creates-13-taxpayer-funded-campaign-ads" category: "Politics" published: "2026-10-02T21:46:22.982Z" source_reported: "2026-10-02T21:00:55.000Z" updated: "2026-10-02T21:46:22.982Z" trust_score: 42 critic_score: 59 hype_score: 68 assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis" fact_check_status: "not-performed" coverage_measured: "2026-10-02T22:45:27.373712+00:00" --- # Trump administration creates 13 taxpayer-funded campaign ads *White House video team produces promotional material, some aired on national networks.* **Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): - Trust 42 of 100, higher is better. Central claims attributed to CNN, with two full reports and 11 digests. - Craft 59 of 100, higher is better. Two full reports and 11 digests provide a broad overview of the ad campaign. - Hype 68 of 100, lower is better. Headlines promise more than the body delivers, with sensational language used. Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology. **The short version** - The Trump administration has created at least 13 campaign-style ads funded by taxpayers. - The ads promote President Donald Trump and his policies, with some featuring footage and images he helped select. - Three of the ads have aired on networks including CBS, CNN, and Fox News. - Democratic Representative Jamie Raskin suggested the ads could constitute criminal theft of government property. The Trump administration has produced at least 13 campaign-style advertisements using taxpayer funds to promote President Donald Trump and his policies. These ads were created in-house by the White House video team, although at least one was produced by a pro-Trump meme group. Three of these advertisements have already aired on television networks, including CBS, CNN, MS NOW, Fox News, and Fox. CNN reports that President Trump was involved in selecting the footage and images for these ads. The content of the ads varies, with some featuring patriotic imagery, military operations, and policy announcements. One ad, titled "God Made Trump," presents the president in a messianic light, riffing on a familiar voiceover. Another, "Final Battle," includes campaign messages about confronting perceived enemies. The "UFC 250" ad promotes the company and a fight hosted at the White House. ## Disagreement on the nature of the ads While the White House has defended the ads as public service announcements, critics have raised concerns about their use of taxpayer money for political promotion. Democratic Representative Jamie Raskin stated that the ads "may be felony criminal theft and conversion of government property for political campaign purposes." Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina commented that the ads are "not an appropriate PSA" and questioned the spending of taxpayer dollars on them. Senator John Cornyn of Texas stated it was "not even a close question" that the ads were an inappropriate use of taxpayer funds. ## Omissions in coverage None of the left-rated or centre-rated reports published below mention the specific cost of the multi-million-dollar effort to create and air these ads, a detail noted in the source material for KIFI, WKBT, Alternet, KRDO, KVIA, KEYT, KMIZ, KESQ, and kioncentralcoast.com. ## Who covered it Shares of the 14 covering outlets with a published leaning rating: - Left: 36% (5) - Centre: 64% (9) - Right: 0% (0) 0 of 14 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-10-02T22:45:27.373712+00:00. **Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 8 times; 0 checks found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-10-02T23:45:16.287Z. ## How the sides framed it ### Left - Left-rated reports focused on the controversial nature of the taxpayer-funded ads, often framing them as political propaganda or akin to cult indoctrination. Daily Kos described the ads as "MAGA Cult Training Videos" and highlighted a loyalty oath Trump led at a convention, stating, "You know what happens if you don’t vote? You go to hell." The outlet also reported that Trump helped choose the footage and images himself, suggesting the ads provide him with "narcissistic fuel." Joe.My.God. and Alternet also highlighted the "God Made Trump" ad and the use of taxpayer money for political promotion. Mediaite noted CNN's Kasie Hunt expressing shock at the "God Made Trump" ad. CNN, while reporting the facts, also included the criticism from Democratic Representative Jamie Raskin, who called the ads "felony criminal theft." ### Centre - Centre-rated reports primarily focused on the factual reporting from CNN regarding the creation and content of the taxpayer-funded ads. Outlets like KIFI, WKBT, KVIA, KEYT, KMIZ, KESQ, and kioncentralcoast.com all carried digests that detailed the number of ads created (at least 13), mentioned specific ad titles like "God Made Trump" and "UFC," and noted that three had aired on networks including CBS, CNN, and Fox News. These reports also included the White House's defence of the ads as public service announcements and quoted criticism from both Democratic Representative Jamie Raskin and Republican Senators Thom Tillis and John Cornyn regarding the appropriateness of using taxpayer funds for such promotions. ### Right No separate framing summary. **Provisional coverage gap:** right. The watch is not closed, so this is not yet a settled blindspot finding. ## Factuality profile of the covering outlets These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true. - mixed: 1 - high: 10 - unknown: 1 - veryHigh: 2 ## Verification scope This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true. ## Original reporting this was written from - [Joe.My.God.](https://joemygod.com/2026/10/cnn-infamous-god-made-trump-ad-is-among-at-least-13-coming-paid-for-by-us-government-ads) — CNN: Infamous “God Made Trump” Ad Is Among At Least 13 Coming “Paid For By US Government” Ads - [WKBT](https://news8000.com/news/politics/national-politics/god-made-trump-and-ufc-trump-administration-has-more-ads-coming-from-taxpayer-funded-campaign/article_3d2f8a7f-0497-5517-b143-0c2c29759aac.html) — ‘God Made Trump’ and ‘UFC’: Trump administration has more ads coming from taxpayer-funded campaign - [Alternet](https://alternet.org/trump-taxpayer-funded-ads) — 'God made Trump' and UFC fights: Trump's new taxpayer-funded ads go there - [Daily Kos](https://dailykos.com/stories/2026/10/2/800106815/community/love-me-or-go-to-hell-trumps-new-taxpayer-funded-ads-amount-to-maga-cult-training-videos) — “Love Me or Go to Hell”: Trump’s New Taxpayer-funded Ads Amount to MAGA Cult Training Videos - [CNN](https://cnn.com/2026/10/02/politics/trump-taxpayer-funded-ads) — ‘God made Trump’ ad and at least 12 others are part of controversial taxpayer-funded ad campaign - [KIFI](https://localnews8.com/politics/cnn-us-politics/2026/10/02/god-made-trump-and-ufc-trump-administration-has-more-ads-coming-from-taxpayer-funded-campaign) — ‘God Made Trump’ and ‘UFC’: Trump administration has more ads coming from taxpayer-funded campaign - [KRDO](https://krdo.com/politics/cnn-us-politics/2026/10/02/god-made-trump-and-ufc-trump-administration-has-more-ads-coming-from-taxpayer-funded-campaign) — ‘God made Trump’ ad and at least 12 others are part of controversial taxpayer-funded ad campaign - [KVIA](https://kvia.com/politics/cnn-us-politics/2026/10/02/god-made-trump-and-ufc-trump-administration-has-more-ads-coming-from-taxpayer-funded-campaign) — ‘God Made Trump’ and ‘UFC’: Trump administration has more ads coming from taxpayer-funded campaign - [KEYT](https://keyt.com/politics/cnn-us-politics/2026/10/02/god-made-trump-and-ufc-trump-administration-has-more-ads-coming-from-taxpayer-funded-campaign) — ‘God made Trump’ ad and at least 12 others are part of controversial taxpayer-funded ad campaign - [KMIZ](https://abc17news.com/politics/national-politics/cnn-us-politics/2026/10/02/god-made-trump-and-ufc-trump-administration-has-more-ads-coming-from-taxpayer-funded-campaign) — ‘God made Trump’ ad and at least 12 others are part of controversial taxpayer-funded ad campaign - [KESQ](https://kesq.com/news/national-politics/cnn-us-politics/2026/10/02/god-made-trump-and-ufc-trump-administration-has-more-ads-coming-from-taxpayer-funded-campaign) — ‘God Made Trump’ and ‘UFC’: Trump administration has more ads coming from taxpayer-funded campaign - [kioncentralcoast.com](https://kioncentralcoast.com/politics/cnn-us-politics/2026/10/02/god-made-trump-and-ufc-trump-administration-has-more-ads-coming-from-taxpayer-funded-campaign) — ‘God made Trump’ ad and at least 12 others are part of controversial taxpayer-funded ad campaign - [Mediaite](https://mediaite.com/media/news/like-what-cnns-kasie-hunt-absolutely-floored-by-taxpayer-funded-ad-that-says-god-made-trump) — Kasie Hunt Absolutely Floored by New 'God Made Trump' Ad - [The Hill](https://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/6123726-trump-taxpayer-campaign-ads) — Trump’s taxpayer-funded propaganda is blatantly illegal ## Questions **How many taxpayer-funded campaign ads has the Trump administration created?** The Trump administration has created at least 13 campaign-style ads funded by taxpayers. These advertisements are part of an effort to promote President Donald Trump and his policies. **Which networks have aired these ads?** Three of the taxpayer-funded ads have aired on television networks including CBS, CNN, MS NOW, Fox News, and Fox. The full extent of their broadcast on television or digital platforms is not yet clear. **What is the criticism of these ads?** Critics, including Democratic Representative Jamie Raskin, have suggested the ads may be a criminal theft of government property for political campaign purposes. Republican Senators Thom Tillis and John Cornyn have also questioned the appropriateness of using taxpayer dollars for these ads. --- MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. Reproduced from https://mediabias.news/politics/trump-administration-creates-13-taxpayer-funded-campaign-ads. Please cite as: MediaBias News, "Trump administration creates 13 taxpayer-funded campaign ads", https://mediabias.news/politics/trump-administration-creates-13-taxpayer-funded-campaign-ads