John Kennedy (Louisiana politician)

Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., said Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press" that while his current plan is to seek reelection to the Senate in 2028, he would consider a presidential run if he felt he could no longer be effective in the Senate. Quoting a line from a song by The Judds, "Why not me on a rainy day?", Kennedy suggested he might enter the race if other Republican contenders — whom he dismissively called "goobers" — were running and he thought he could do a better job. He declined to address a potential matchup with Vice President J.D. Vance, saying he wasn't ready to discuss other candidates.

Kennedy also criticized President Trump's decision to publicly share Sen. Tom Cotton's phone number after Cotton opposed a bill to make Daylight Saving Time permanent, describing Trump as someone who "can go from zero to a-hole in about three seconds." The remarks continue a pattern of Kennedy voicing occasional criticism of the administration while maintaining he remains a Trump supporter.

A government-funded ad campaign praising President Trump began airing on Fox News this week, labeled on-screen as "Paid for by the U.S. government." The ads feature Trump's image, a soundtrack of the song "Love Me," UFC's Dana White calling him "the toughest, most resilient person," and promises to defeat "communism, socialism and Marxism." The White House describes the spots as a nonpolitical "public service announcement." Singer JMSN says he never authorized use of his song for political purposes.

The campaign has drawn bipartisan criticism. Republican Senator Thom Tillis said the use of taxpayer money "feels like Viktor Orbán," and Senator John Kennedy (R-LA) said he doesn't like seeing public money fund what looks like campaign advertising. Democratic Representative Jamie Raskin called the ads "blatantly unethical," citing potential violations of the Hatch Act, which bars using government resources for political purposes.

The ads follow other instances of Trump's name and image appearing on government property, currency, and buildings, prompting comparisons to state-run propaganda in authoritarian countries. No congressional investigation or Justice Department action has been announced.