President Donald Trump announced Monday night that his super PAC, MAGA Inc., will now fund a series of promotional advertisements, shifting away from taxpayer dollars. The decision comes after the government spent at least $2.5 million on ads that heavily featured the president and promoted his policies ahead of the midterm elections.

Trump stated on his social media platform that he had decided to "pay for them myself, and with money I raised for MAGA, Inc." The "Patriotic Ads," as he referred to them, have drawn criticism for their use of public funds for politically charged content.

A White House official confirmed that MAGA Inc. will cover the costs moving forward, while also defending the practice of using public service announcements. The official noted that administrations of both parties have utilized such announcements to explain policy and convey the nation's direction.

Earlier in the day, Vice President JD Vance had defended the use of taxpayer money for the ads, characterizing them as public service announcements rather than partisan endorsements. He argued that the ads aim to "tell a story about how great the United States of America is."

Last week, President Trump defended the ads, stating at an Oval Office event that they were intended to promote the "spirit of our country" and not to endorse candidates or policies. He asserted that he was "not promoting a candidate" or "myself" because he is "not running for office," but rather promoting the country. He added that if anyone deemed the ads wrong, he would "gladly pay the money."

One of the taxpayer-funded ads reportedly featured scenes of Trump and the U.S. military amid the war in Iran, with audio from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and the president. Another ad was noted to be a direct replication of a spot previously run by Trump's campaign in 2024.

According to AdImpact, an advertising analytics firm, the federal government has spent at least $2.5 million to air these television advertisements. The total estimated spending from the Department of [Source material cuts off here, but implies a larger figure].

The shift in funding by Trump's super PAC indicates a move to separate campaign-related promotional activities from government expenditure, potentially mitigating future criticism regarding the use of public funds for political messaging.