Donald Trump has said he will stop using taxpayer funds for television advertisements glorifying himself, which sparked a major backlash, and instead tap his super PAC to cover ads going forward.
asserted
which → say → ads
In a post on his social media site, Trump defended the ads, which cost at least $1.5m in federal funds and have drawn intense criticism.
asserted
which → defend → criticism
Trump said they were “positive promotion for our Great U.S.A”.
asserted
they → say → U.S.A
“This is a rather standard thing to do,” the president wrote, while blaming intense criticism for using taxpayer funds on the ads on the “Radical Left.”
asserted
president → do → Left
But the president added that he had “decided to do the Patriotic Ads, among others, and pay for them myself, and with money I raised for MAGA, Inc.”
asserted
I → add → money
Trump provided no details on reimbursing taxpayers for ads that already aired, nor how he would go about having his political organization pay for such future advertising, AP reported.
asserted
AP → provide → advertising
The White House - which had fiercely defended using taxpayer money on spots meant to promote the president - said on Monday night that MAGA Inc will pay for such ads going forward.
asserted
Inc → defend → ads
It did not answer questions on how it or Trump might prove that his political funds were being used on such future advertising.
uncertain
funds → answer → advertising
The first ad featured clips of Trump talking about defeating communism interspersed with onscreen text promoting the “largest tax cuts in history,” “reigniting American manufacturing” and a call to “defend law and order and police.”
asserted
Trump → feature → law
Later the same week, a second ad began running.
asserted
ad → begin → ?
It showed scenic videos of Mount Rushmore with quotes and clips from Trump’s 4th July weekend speech there honoring the country’s 250th anniversary.
asserted
It → show → anniversary
In other developments:
Donald Trump said he was “doing great” as his approval rating sank to a record low 32%.
asserted
rating → say → %
The president made the remarks as he headed to Nebraska, to campaign for a Republican senator there.
asserted
he → make → senator
Pennsylvania is reporting the largest measles outbreak in the nation, with more than 1,000 cases this year.
asserted
Pennsylvania → report → cases
The governor of neighboring New York, Kathy Hochul, has declared a disaster emergency over an ongoing measles outbreak there.
asserted
governor → neighbor → outbreak
Politico was barred from traveling on Air Force One for Trump’s trip to Nebraska, according to a report by CNN.
uncertain
Politico → bar → CNN
This comes after the administration previously stopped CNN from similarly traveling with the president, despite a federal judge putting a temporary block on Trump’s overall ban on Politico, CNN and MS Now from the White House.
asserted
judge → come → House
Karoline Leavitt, who stepped down as White House press secretary in August, is joining Fox News as an on-air contributor, according to an announcement from the network.
uncertain
who → step → network
Leavitt, 29, the youngest press secretary in White House history, left the administration after the birth of her second child earlier this year.
asserted
Leavitt → leave → child
The supreme court heard the first arguments of its 2026-27 term, in a case that focuses on whether states can sue oil companies for the impact of climate change on their communities.
asserted
states → hear → communities
The lawsuit was filed by local officials in Boulder, Colorado, against Suncor Energy and ExxonMobil.
asserted
lawsuit → file → Energy
Secretary of state Marco Rubio said there was no direct link between the sudden removal of US bombers from a UK airbase and a suspected Iranian plot at the site last week.
asserted
Rubio → say → site
“I wouldn’t just directly tie that to the move that was made,” Rubio told reporters, when asked about the B1 bombers.
asserted
Rubio → tie → bombers
“The Department of War is constantly reallocating resources where they need to be,“ Rubio added, noting that the US has confidence in the security of all its bases.
asserted
US → reallocate → bases
The Trump administration had faced questions over whether it illegally used taxpayer money to air television ads promoting Donald Trump five weeks before the US midterm elections.
asserted
it → face → elections
Two congressional Democrats, Jamie Raskin of Maryland and George Whitesides of California, asked federal watchdogs to investigate the ads.
asserted
Democrats → ask → ads
Raskin, the top Democrat on the judiciary committee of the House of Representatives, and Whitesides wrote to the Government Accountability Office (GAO) and the office of special counsel (OSC), describing the commercials as “desperate pre-election propaganda”.
asserted
Raskin → write → propaganda
The first ad was initially broadcast on 23 September.
asserted
ad → broadcast → September
It shows dozens of images of Trump as a singer repeats “love me”, and the UFC president, Dana White, praises the president.
asserted
president → show → president
A second ad, which aired days later, pairs footage of Trump with audio from a rally criticizing the “deep state”.
asserted
which → air → state
Both end with fine print saying they were paid for by the US government.
asserted
they → end → government
“President Trump is obviously desperate for the American people to ‘love’ him, a problem that goes beyond your jurisdiction,” Raskin and Whitesides wrote in their letter.
asserted
Raskin → love → letter
“But stealing taxpayer dollars to pay for Mr Trump’s narcissistic ego trips is plainly illegal.”
asserted
stealing → steal → trips
The lawmakers asked the GAO to identify the source and total amount of money used, and to issue a legal decision on whether the ads broke the law.
asserted
ads → ask → law
They asked the OSC to investigate and determine who should be held accountable.
asserted
who → ask → OSC
Donald Trump has said he will stop using taxpayer funds for television advertisements glorifying himself, which sparked a major backlash, and instead tap his super PAC to cover ads going forward.
asserted
which → say → ads
In a post on his social media site, Trump defended the ads, which cost at least $1.5m in federal funds and have drawn intense criticism.
asserted
which → defend → criticism
Trump said they were “positive promotion for our Great U.S.A”.
asserted
they → say → U.S.A
“This is a rather standard thing to do,” the president wrote, while blaming intense criticism for using taxpayer funds on the ads on the “Radical Left.”
asserted
president → do → Left
But the president added that he had “decided to do the Patriotic Ads, among others, and pay for them myself, and with money I raised for MAGA, Inc.”
asserted
I → add → money
…and 19 more, not listed.
The Aporia
