The Wall Street Journal first reported the funding source. The White House has called the spots public service announcements, but one ad is nearly identical to a 2024 Trump campaign spot, and each carries a disclaimer stating the U.S. Government paid for it. The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees CBP, referred questions to the White House, which did not immediately respond to NBC News.
The arrangement raises questions about whether border security funds got redirected toward ads that boost the president's image rather than inform the public. That a Republican senator confirmed the funding source adds weight to the story, since the claim isn't coming from Democrats or anonymous critics alone. CBP's budget is meant for enforcement operations, not campaign-style messaging.
Neither the White House nor DHS has explained why the ad ran with border security dollars behind it.