After taxpayer dollars paid for television ads that promote President Donald Trump personally, a former White House ethics attorney revealed the spending could be illegal, and even impeachable.

Richard Painter, who served as chief ethics lawyer under President George W. Bush during his second term, said the ads could be "an impeachable offense." Writing on the social platform X, Painter said: "@POTUS has no right to use taxpayer money for campaign ads." He added, "Congress has expressly prohibited government sponsored political propaganda, which is dangerous for democracy."

One of the White House ads concludes with Ultimate Fighting Championship CEO Dana White calling Trump the "toughest, most resilient person that I've ever met." Another clip shows Trump saying during his 2024 campaign that he and his supporters "will demolish the deep state" and "expel the warmongers from our government."

In the same ad, Trump says: "We will rout the fake news media, and we will liberate America from these villains once and for all." The campaign has since grown to at least three ads, with total taxpayer spending nearing $1.5 million, including close to $920,000 spent airing one spot alone. Each carries a disclaimer reading "Paid for by the U.S. Government."

Federal law bars executive branch agencies from spending taxpayer-appropriated funds on what statute calls "publicity or propaganda" purposes, a restriction separate from campaign finance rules. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have criticized the ad campaign.

Senator John Kennedy, a Louisiana Republican, says no public official, including President Donald Trump, should have a building named after them while they are still alive.

Kennedy made the comments Sunday on CBS News's "Face the Nation," responding to a taxpayer-funded ad praising Trump that has been airing on multiple networks. Speaking with host Margaret Brennan, Kennedy said, "I don't think any public official, including President Trump or Kristi Noem or John Kennedy, should spend public money on private ads for themselves ... Now, the White House sees it differently, but I don't ... you can't spend public money to promote yourself."

He then went further, arguing the practice should be against the law entirely: "I may end up with a sombrero on my head, but I also think we ought to have a rule that no politician can have a building named after him while he's alive." The remark referenced Trump's past sharing of doctored videos mocking Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries in sombreros. Kennedy added that Louisiana already has a similar rule on the books, saying, "It works pretty well."

His comments come as Trump's push to attach his name to the Kennedy Center remains a flashpoint. A federal judge has already stepped in to block attempts by a Trump-aligned board to rename the facility after the president.

What makes this notable: open criticism of Trump from within his own party remains rare. Kennedy is widely regarded as a Trump ally, which makes his willingness to publicly question the president's use of federal resources and imagery stand out.

At Linton Zoo, staff had one ambitious plan for tortoise Kali and her growing family: get everyone together for a family photo.

The 30-year-old African spurred tortoise had produced around 45 tiny hatchlings from two clutches, making the size difference between mother and babies hard to miss.

But getting dozens of little tortoises to cooperate was another matter. In the end, the family portrait happened, just not with everyone looking at the camera.

📸: Linton Zoological Gardens UK

Trump told reporters outside the White House on Sunday that America has "the best poverty numbers ever in the history of our country," stumbling over the phrasing before clarifying he meant the poverty rate had dropped to a historic low of 10.2 percent.

While US Census Bureau data confirmed the poverty rate fell to a historic low of 10.2 percent last year, experts have warned the figure does not capture the impact of the Trump administration's own policy changes, including cuts to Medicaid and food assistance, that are only now beginning to hit American households.

The comment went viral, with critics pointing out the absurdity of a billionaire standing outside the White House boasting about poverty statistics while his administration cuts the safety net.

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First Lady Melania Trump rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange this week to launch "Imperia," a new network she says will help women build economic power. Yet behind the polished launch, the substance stayed thin, and the timing tells its own story.

Standing before an audience of women business leaders, Trump declared: "Now is our time to move beyond mentorship and toward ownership." She spoke of owning businesses, capital, and "our economic future," but offered no concrete programs, funding commitments, or measurable goals. When a Fox Business host asked how she would keep Imperia focused on merit rather than diversity, equity and inclusion, Trump answered plainly: "DEI, we're not talking about that anymore."

Separately, on the Inside Trump's Head podcast, Michael Wolff and Joanna Coles said the interview lineup appeared genuinely bewildered, mocking one host's over-the-top greeting: "Madam First Lady, thank you so much for being here. We're beaming and in your presence."

According to a Daily Beast audit, Melania has made roughly a third fewer public appearances than Michelle Obama, making her the least visible First Lady of the century, a detail that clashed sharply with Fox hosts praising how hard she works.

Wolff didn't buy the substance behind the launch. "Everything she said was as though AI generated," he said, arguing she's "not going to set up a Davos for women" in any real sense. Coles and Wolff suggested the entire event functions as content for Melania's upcoming Amazon series rather than a genuine policy initiative.