A cable television spot showcasing President Trump and a singing choir began broadcasting Wednesday after being financed by the US Treasury. The advertisement, which depicts Trump with a choir singing "love me," has triggered a Senate investigation into whether the expenditure violated a federal prohibition against using taxpayer dollars for publicity or propaganda.

The White House claims the ad was a nonpolitical public service announcement and denied any wrongdoing. Opponents and some lawmakers argue the content was a self-congratulatory promotional piece that should have been funded by a political action committee instead of the federal government.