Trump's TV ads traced to DHS funding from 2025 border bill
Investigators found that taxpayer money allocated to U.S. Customs and Border Protection under a 2025 DHS bill paid for Donald Trump's recent television advertisements.
A review of funding flows revealed that the Department of Homeland Security's customs branch supplied the cash for Donald Trump's latest TV ads, drawing on allocations from the 2025 "One, Big Beautiful Bill Act." While the agency routinely produces public-service messages, the new spots mirror a 2024 campaign ad and have been aired dozens of times on national and local stations, costing several hundred thousand dollars.
The White House described the pieces as educational and patriotic, but critics, including former ethics czar Norm Eisen, argue they function as campaign advertising. Representative Jamie Raskin has urged an investigation, and consumer-advocacy group Public Citizen has sued to pull the ads, with Democracy Forward also seeking related records. The controversy revives earlier concerns about DHS spending on political messaging, recalling a prior incident involving former Secretary Kristi Noem.
Why it matters
It raises questions about the use of federal funds for political messaging and potential violations of campaign finance rules.
In this story
