PoliticsLate-Night Roasts Help Turn Donald Trump's Taxpayer-Funded Ads Into a Funding Reversal
Seth Meyers and Jordan Klepper mocked Donald Trump before MAGA Inc. took over ad funding.
Oct. 10 2026, Published 1:53 p.m. ET
President Donald Trump will move the cost of his self-promotional television campaign from taxpayers to his super PAC after the ads became a late-night punchline and drew bipartisan criticism.
The commercials had used at least $1.5 million in federal funds before Trump announced on Truth Social on October 5 that MAGA Inc. would pay for future spots. He described the advertisements as “positive promotion for our Great U.S.A.” and maintained that government-funded messaging was standard practice.
‘Late Night’ Spots a Familiar Campaign Ad
Seth Meyers mocked Trump for using taxpayer money to air a recycled campaign advertisement.
Seth Meyers focused on one commercial that was nearly identical to an advertisement from Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign.
“They literally took a campaign ad they used in 2024 and re-aired it on TV using taxpayer dollars,” Meyers said on Late Night.
“He’s $2 billion richer than he was two years ago, just pay for it yourself, you cheapskate! Is there anything this grub won’t make us pay for?” he continued.
“If you went out to dinner with Trump, he’d order everything on the menu then say I forgot my wallet, then ask you for 50 bucks, then put it into his wallet in front of you.”
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Jordan Klepper challenged the White House defense of the government-funded commercials.
“The government shouldn’t be spending taxpayer dollars on campaign ads for President Trump,” Jordan Klepper said on The Daily Show.
The White House argued that the spots were not campaign advertisements because Trump was not on the midterm ballot and they contained no call to action.
Klepper contrasted that explanation with footage of Trump urging supporters to “pretend” he was on the ballot.
“He didn’t just say it. He said it three times in a row,” Klepper joked. “He’s trying to Beetlejuice himself onto the ballot.”
The host also highlighted the recycled footage and mocked the decision to preserve a line promising to “expel the warmongers” from the government.
Donald Trump Moves the Bill to MAGA Inc.
Donald Trump shifted future advertising costs to MAGA Inc. following late-night criticism and bipartisan backlash.
The ads began airing in late September and included messages about communism, tax cuts, manufacturing and law enforcement, along with footage from Trump’s July 4 speech. Each ended with the disclaimer, “Paid for by the U.S. Government.”
After the backlash, Trump said he had decided to fund the “Patriotic Ads” through MAGA Inc., which had accumulated more than $400 million by the end of July.
The White House confirmed that the super PAC would pay going forward but did not explain how the arrangement would be documented. Trump also did not say whether taxpayers would be reimbursed for the advertisements that had already aired.
