Vance defends taxpayer-funded Trump advertisements

Vice President JD Vance defended the Trump administration’s taxpayer-funded television advertisements on Monday, saying they were not partisan and comparing them with government-funded communications about the Affordable Care Act. The ads feature President Donald Trump discussing his administration’s agenda and accomplishments, and each carries a disclaimer saying it was paid for by the U.S. government. Asked whether the spending was appropriate with November’s midterm elections approaching, Vance said governments have long used public funds to explain their work. He said the spots were intended to tell a story about the country, not advocate for a particular candidate. Vance also said he saw nothing unusual or unorthodox about them. The White House has described the commercials as patriotic public-service announcements, not campaign material. It has argued that Trump is not on the ballot and that the ads contain no call to action. The administration has also compared them with public messaging by earlier presidents, including advertising related to the Affordable Care Act.