Senator John Kennedy criticizes White House funded ads promoting Trump
Senator John Kennedy is raising eyebrows over the White House's use of public money for ads that promote Donald Trump's agenda ahead of the midterm elections.
He told CBS News on September 27, 2026, that there should be limits on this kind of spending and pointed out he's criticized Kristi Noem for similar moves before.
The ads, labeled as "public service announcements," include one that was created for Trump's 2024 campaign and aired widely, even during a college football game.
Kennedy questions legality of government ads
These government-funded ads show Trump in campaign-style settings with strong anti-establishment vibes, but their legality is under scrutiny because they might violate rules against using government resources for partisan politics.
Kennedy summed up his stance simply: "I think there ought to be a rule that you can't - well, there probably is a rule - you can't spend public money to promote yourself."
His comments echo bigger concerns about mixing public funds with politics.