From Dw · · 1m 40s
Trump Cuts Taxpayer Ad Spending
Trump stops using public funds for campaign ads.
In brief
Trump stops using public funds for campaign ads. Trump ended taxpayer-funded ads after claiming they were 'standard' but critics say federal law prohibits using public money for partisan political ads. Originally reported by Dw.
Trump stops taxpayer-funded ads
Trump announced he would no longer fund political advertisements with taxpayer money after claiming they were 'a rather standard thing to do'.
“The radical Left is upset with the fact that I am taking ads, which I consider to be a positive promotion for our great USA, and paying for them with USA money”
Ads show Trump's campaign messages
The ads aired in September between popular shows and football games with the line 'paid for by the US government', that is, paid with tax dollars.
“paid for by the US government”
Ads show Trump's messages
The ads featured scenes of US troops capturing Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and combative messages like 'expel the warmongers' or 'throw off the sick political class'.
“expel the warmongers”
Public Citizen criticizes ads
Public Citizen, a US non-profit consumer advocacy group, wrote that federal law explicitly prohibits using public funds for government propaganda, self-aggrandizement, or partisan political advertising.
“Federal law explicitly prohibits using appropriated public funds for government propaganda, self-aggrandizement, or partisan political advertising”
Experts warn about timing
Patrick Malone, a professor at American University, said using taxpayer dollars for campaign-related content weeks before midterms is problematic.
“You're not supposed to use taxpayer dollars to pay for anything that's campaign-related”
Trump promises $5,000 for Republican victory
Trump promised each US citizen eligible to vote a $5,000 payout if Republicans maintained their majority in both houses of Congress.
“Trump promised each US citizen eligible to vote a $5,000 payout if Republicans maintained their majority in both houses of Congress”
Republicans face voter challenges
A Reuters/Ipsos poll shows Republicans lead by 44% to 42% among voters age 50 or older but lose by 18 points among those under 50.
“Voters age 50 or older preferred Trump's party over the Democratic Party by just 2 percentage points, 44% to 42%”
Republicans skip Trump's event
Many Republicans skipped Trump's big party convention to avoid potential COVID exposure.
“if the president were to visit a battleground state, where Democratic and Republican support is fairly equal among voters, to campaign for his party, they suspected their 'candidates would come down with COVID'”
Trump's pledge may cost $1.2 trillion
Keeping Trump's $5,000 pledge could cost the federal government over $1.2 trillion, but experts doubt it would ever be implemented.
“He has no money to do that with. It would have to be authorized and appropriated by Congress”
The one thing
Trump ended taxpayer-funded ads after claiming they were 'standard' but critics say federal law prohibits using public money for partisan political ads.
