Two Trump advisers said the ads are being produced in-house by the White House video team, which falls under the communications team responsible for the administration's public messaging. The spots are landing just over a month before the November midterms, and they've already drawn bipartisan criticism over how the administration is spending public money.
CNN reports Trump's direct involvement goes beyond signing off on messaging. He reportedly helped shape the actual content, meaning the ads promoting his own record were built with his personal input rather than left entirely to staff. One source told CNN the concern isn't the message itself. "It's a great message. I like the message, but it shouldn't be funded with taxpayer dollars," the source said.
For taxpayers, the questions center on whether public funds should promote a sitting president's political image so close to an election. The administration faces higher stakes on every dollar spent, since ads framed as government messaging are landing in the same window voters are deciding who controls Congress.