“God Made Trump” is just one of the president’s taxpayer-funded ads hitting the airwaves for the midterm blitz

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Taxpayer-funded commercials featuring President Donald Trump are blasting across the airwaves with fighter jets, military imagery, glowing praise and a striking declaration: “God made Trump.”

CNN obtained 12 of the 13 ads, which the Trump administration calls “public service announcements,” offering insight into a government-funded campaign focused heavily on Trump and his record, the outlet reported Friday.

The spots feature Trump alongside fighter jets and Marine One, tout his military actions in Iran and his efforts to stop Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, and even celebrate the UFC event he hosted on the White House lawn.

The ads last from 15 seconds to three minutes and end with the disclaimer “Paid for by the U.S. Government.” One, titled “God Made Trump,” was presented at a midterm Republican convention in Dallas last month.

In the ad, a narrator says, “I need someone with arms strong enough to disrupt the deep state. So God made Trump.”

Another spot, called “Final Battle,” was not among the ads obtained by CNN, but it also aired as the administration broadens its campaign ahead of the November midterm elections.

The campaign has drawn scrutiny due to the use of taxpayer dollars and the prominent role Trump played in the ads. Critics question whether the spots violate federal laws governing government resources, while their timing, just weeks before the midterm elections, has also raised concerns.

The White House has reportedly allocated $20 million from the Department of Homeland Security for the campaign, of which at least $2.5 million has already been spent on air time. More ads are expected to air in the coming weeks.

Trump reportedly took an active role in the campaign, personally selecting some of the government-funded ads that will air. Trump’s former White House communications director, Mike Dubke, also suggested that the administration could have given CNN access to the ads, knowing that the channel would air clips, giving Trump additional television exposure.

The use of taxpayer money has drawn criticism from lawmakers in both parties.

Republican Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana said Sunday on CBS’s “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan”: “I don’t think any public official, including President Trump, Kristi Noem or John Kennedy, should be spending public money on private advertisements for themselves.”

Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin, ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, said the ads “could be a crime of criminal theft and conversion of government property for political campaign purposes.” Raskin’s statement is an allegation and does not constitute an established legal conclusion.

The White House defended the campaign, saying The Independent in a statement earlier this week: “These PSAs are intended to remind Americans to love their country and understand what is worth fighting for, at home, at our borders and abroad. »

“The ad is educational and unapologetically patriotic. We should be proud of our country,” the White House added.