Daijiworld Media Network - Washington
Washington, Oct 6: An overwhelming 86% of Americans, including four out of five Republicans, believe it is inappropriate to use taxpayer money for television advertisements featuring US President Donald Trump or his Cabinet members around an election, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll.
The six-day nationwide poll, which concluded on Monday, was conducted as three government-funded television advertisements featuring Trump aired ahead of the November 3 midterm elections. The survey included 4,506 US adults and had a margin of error of about two percentage points.
The advertisements have drawn criticism from ethics experts and lawmakers from both parties, who have questioned whether public funds are being used to promote Trump politically. Critics have also raised concerns that the spots could violate longstanding restrictions on government propaganda and political activity.
The White House has defended the advertisements as educational and patriotic, saying they were intended to remind Americans about the country's values rather than promote any political candidate. Trump, however, said on Monday that taxpayers would no longer fund the ads and that he or his MAGA political committee would pay for them.
One of the advertisements features Trump declaring that "America will never be a communist country", while another combines images of Mount Rushmore with footage of him praising a "golden age of America". A third refers to a "final battle" against the "deep state" and closely resembles one of Trump's 2024 campaign advertisements. All three spots carry a disclaimer saying they were paid for by the US government.
Democratic lawmakers have sought independent investigations into the advertisements, saying the White House transferred $20 million in Department of Homeland Security funds to finance them. Trump has rejected the criticism and said the advertisements were not campaign material.
The Reuters/Ipsos poll also found opposition to other recent actions involving the Trump administration. About 71% of respondents said they opposed renaming the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts to include Trump's name, while only about a quarter of Republicans supported the idea.
The survey also found that 68% of Americans considered it inappropriate to restrict access to the White House for some news organisations. Republicans were more supportive of the practice, with 57% backing it, while Democrats and independents were overwhelmingly opposed.
The findings come less than a month before the November midterm elections, amid growing scrutiny of the Trump administration's use of government resources and public messaging.