The White House clarified on Tuesday that President Trump will not be reimbursing the federal government for the costs associated with a series of television advertisements that have drawn significant public and political scrutiny. The decision follows a statement made by the President on Monday, in which he pledged to personally cover the expenses for future “Patriotic Ads” moving forward.

The controversy stems from the initial use of taxpayer money to produce and air these spots, which critics argued were political in nature rather than informational. While the President’s commitment to self-fund future advertisements represents a shift in policy, the administration’s confirmation that this change is not retroactive means that the funds already expended from the federal budget will remain unrecovered. The administration has not provided further details on the specific criteria that will distinguish future self-funded ads from those previously paid for by the government.