US President Donald Trump said on Monday that taxpayers will no longer pay for television advertisements featuring him. He or his MAGA political committee will fund them instead.

The move follows pushback over three nationally broadcast ads that celebrate a golden age of America. Ethics experts and lawmakers from both parties criticised the spots, which have aired during football games as recently as Sunday.

Democratic lawmakers said last month that the White House transferred 20 million dollars in Homeland Security Department funds to air the ads. One closely resembles a 2024 Trump campaign ad. The New York Times reported that Trump personally directed the budget director to use taxpayer money for the spots.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump called the ads a positive promotion for the United States. He said they would no longer be funded by taxpayers. His MAGA Inc committee has about 400 million dollars.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta called for an independent investigation. He described the arrangement as a staggering misuse of public funding.