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President Trump is back with another campaign-style TV ad — and taxpayers are paying for it. 

The federal government has spent money airing several spots featuring Trump in recent days, including one that's nearly identical to an ad he used in 2023. But the new version features a striking disclaimer: “Paid for by the U.S. Government.”

The White House has defended the spots as “public service announcements,” but ethics experts and lawmakers in both parties are questioning whether taxpayers are footing the bill for Trump to promote his agenda just weeks before the midterms. “At a minimum, this is an appalling abuse of taxpayer dollars,” Margaret Dylus-Yukins, senior legal counsel for ethics at the nonpartisan Campaign Legal Center, tells us.

Here’s what we know about the unusual ad campaign — and whether it crosses any legal lines. 

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An Empire Beauty School student prepares a model backstage at the LIM College's 79th Annual Fashion Show in New York. (Getty Images)

The Trump administration is finalizing a new rule that will bar students pursuing college programs or certifications that tend to lead to lower-paying work from taking out federal student loans, the Los Angeles Times reports. Degrees in the arts, social work, mental health, and music, and certifications in cosmetology and cosmetics are particularly at risk. The Education Department will use IRS data to compare graduates’ salaries four years after leaving college with those of working adults ages 25 to 34 who have only a high school diploma. Ted Mitchell, president of the American Council on Education, told the Times: “We need social workers ... Whether it’s the fentanyl epidemic or homelessness in L.A., we need people who can work on the street with people who need it the most.”

CNN, MS NOW, and Politico have asked a federal judge to extend a temporary order restoring their White House access after President Trump attempted to ban them over alleged national security concerns. The outlets described the ban as an “unlawful assault on the most fundamental First Amendment freedoms,” and said that the administration's actions since the order was put in place only demonstrate that its “motive is to punish and chill journalism they dislike.” Over the weekend, Trump blocked CNN journalists from joining him on Air Force One as he traveled to Knoxville, Tennessee, to attend a college football game. “President Trump has continued to justify the ban on the grounds that he dislikes Plaintiffs’ coverage of him and his administration without even mentioning national security,” the outlets said.

The Senate just passed a sweeping college sports bill that would create nationwide rules for college-athlete NIL/revenue sharing, transfers and eligibility, while giving athletes additional scholarship and health protections and giving the NCAA more legal protection to enforce those rules. The "Protect College Sports Act," which passed 77-22, now heads to the House, which is in recess until after the November midterms. GOP Sen. Ted Cruz, the bill's lead sponsor, said it was "designed to bring order to the chaos" and "to put simple, common sense rules in place so that college sports remain strong and vibrant for decades to come." Democratic Sen. Cory Booker argued that the bill gives the NCAA and institutions too much power, while limiting athletes’ ability to challenge them in court.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio claimed “the hands of a foreign actor” were involved in the suspected terror plot targeting a U.S. air base, which saw five unidentified men arrested early Sunday. “What happened this weekend could have been, and was, a very serious threat,” he told Fox News, adding there was “a lot more news” to come. The five British nationals were arrested near the air base in Gloucestershire, where U.S. bombers are deployed to Iran. They were unexpectedly released on bail Monday, prompting speculation over whether the British police had found enough evidence to connect them to a specific crime. 

Eyes on Cornell

A Cornell University student walks through campus in Ithaca, New York. (Getty Images)

We're keeping a close watch on the horrifying gang rape allegations that have sent shockwaves through Cornell University — and the country. 

Prosecutors are reopening their investigation after a former student filed a 101-page lawsuit detailing the grotesque events she says occurred inside Chi Phi’s frat house on the night of October 19, 2024, and how the university and local prosecutors mismanaged the case.

The Tompkins County District Attorney’s Office said Monday that it is seeking a grand jury review after being “asked by the community to revisit the decision whether to pursue criminal charges against the seven fraternity members.” Here's more on that, and on Jane Doe's case.

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