# Trump's 2024 Campaign Ad Is Back. This Time You Paid For It *US Politics · 29 September 2026 · RECORDx NEWS* Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3-3ucIMlCI Page: https://news.recordx.co/story/trumps-2024-campaign-ad-is-back-this-time-you-paid-for-it/ The White House just ran a Trump ad during NFL games. Same hallway, same words as his 2024 campaign ad. The difference is who paid. The 2024 version ended with "Text TRUMP to 88022." The 2026 version ends with "Paid for by the U.S. Government." AdImpact estimates about 1.7 million dollars on the White House ad campaign. Republican Senator John Kennedy on Face the Nation: no public official "should spend public money on private ads for themselves." Senate Majority Leader John Thune: "It shouldn't be paid for with taxpayer dollars." The White House says the ads are "not campaign ads" and "President Trump is not on the ballot." In September, Trump told Republicans: "I'm asking you to pretend that I'm on the ballot." ## The reporting Claim: Over the weekend of 26–28 September 2026, the White House aired a Trump "public service announcement" during NFL games, SNL and Sunday shows. It uses the same footage and the same script as Trump's 2024 campaign ad ("This is the final battle… we will demolish the deep state… rout the fake news media"). The 2024 version ended "Text TRUMP to 88022"; this one ends "Paid for by the U.S. Government." AdImpact estimates about $1.7M on the White House ad campaign. Sen. John Kennedy (R) said no official should "spend public money on private ads for themselves"; Majority Leader John Thune said it "shouldn't be paid for with taxpayer dollars." The White House says the ads are "not campaign ads" and "President Trump is not on the ballot." Trump, at the GOP's midterm event in September: "I'm asking you to pretend that I'm on the ballot." ## Facts Ad as aired: capture Yo4NUMQIJS8; 2024 campaign ad: capture 1T7cOInSRus. Both transcribed: identical script. Both end cards checked on frame. $1.7M: AdImpact estimate for the PSA campaign (NBC News, 28 Sep). Aired during NFL games and SNL (The Hill; CNN: Commanders–Seahawks, Panthers–Browns). Thune: "I like the message, but it shouldn't be paid for with taxpayer dollars" (CNN, 28 Sep). White House: "The announcements are very clearly not campaign ads. President Trump is not on the ballot and there is no call to action" (via CNN/NBC). Trump: "So I'm asking you to pretend that I'm on the ballot" — C-SPAN 4jxcywIMHI0, GOP midterm event, September 2026. ## What this story does not claim It does not claim the ad is illegal; it reports who said what. It does not claim the $1.7M figure is for this one spot. ## References - https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/white-house-releases-new-taxpayer-funded-ad-describing-final-battle-rcna600171 - https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/6114342-trump-nfl-ad-airing/ - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aboFLeu64kE - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jxcywIMHI0 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDSO47MejDc - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yo4NUMQIJS8 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1T7cOInSRus Reporting drawn from: NBC News, The Hill, CNN, CBS News Face the Nation, C-SPAN, ad captures via the Jim Heath Channel archive, REQUIRED ## Footage - the line - "This is the final battle. With you at my side, we will demolish the deep state." - "I don't think any public official, including President Trump or Kristi Noem or John Kennedy, should spend public money on private ads for themselves." - "So I'm asking you to pretend that I'm on the ballot. I'm on the ballot. I'm on the ballot." - beat - hook - the ad's own words - same ad, twice - a Republican objects - Thune + White House - "pretend I'm on the ballot" ## Transcript The White House just ran a Trump ad on your dime, and you have seen it before. It aired during Sunday's NFL games. We will throw off the sick political class that hates our country. We will rout the fake news media. In 2024, the same walk and the same words were his campaign ad. That one ended, text Trump. This one ends, paid for by the U.S. government. AdImpact puts the campaign at about $1.7 million. The White House says these are public service announcements and the president is not on the ballot. So I'm asking you to pretend that I'm on the ballot. I'm on the ballot. I'm on the ballot. Five weeks before the midterms, that hallway is back on television. ## Topics midterms 2026 ## Related - [They Asked SCOTUS To Block It. 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