Report alleges White House aide Natalie Harp helped produce taxpayer-funded Trump ads
A report published on October 4 said White House aide Natalie Harp helped produce government-funded television advertisements that highlighted President Donald Trump, prompting renewed bipartisan criticism over the use of public money. The ads, which began airing on September 24, 2026, were paid for with federal funds, including money from the Department of Homeland Security and Customs and Border Protection, according to reports from Slate and NBC News. The White House described them as non-partisan public-service announcements, a position reported by The Guardian. Democrats and consumer-advocacy groups called the spots illegal political propaganda and urged the FCC and FTC to intervene, also noted by The Guardian.
FCC Chair Brendan Carr said the ads did not require review, NBC News reported. Two House Democrats have asked the GAO and a special counsel to investigate possible violations, The Guardian reported. Reports indicate the campaign has cost at least $20 million, according to The Independent and the Daily Beast.
