Trump says he'll start paying for ads after pushback over taxpayer funding

What happened: President Trump said he will pay for pro-Trump ads, previously funded by the government, using money raised by his super PAC, MAGA Inc. A White House official said the post did not mean reimbursing the federal government for ads already purchased. Key numbers: DHS awarded LMD Agency $20 million for a National Why it matters: The ads drew bipartisan criticism, with Senate Democrats calling them an illegal misuse of tax dollars and some Republicans objecting. Using the super PAC taps funds Republican candidates hope will be spent in battleground states before the midterms.

Trump reversing taxpayer-funded ads signals election ad spending shift.

Trump reversing taxpayer-funded ads signals election ad spending shift. — impact context not separately stored; see What changed.