Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) said Sunday that public officials should be barred from spending taxpayer money on self-promotional advertising, and went a step further by proposing a ban on naming buildings after living politicians. Appearing on CBS’s “Face the Nation,” Kennedy made the remarks after host Margaret Brennan played a 30-second government-funded commercial that prominently features President Trump.
Brennan noted that the ad, airing on major broadcast and cable networks, includes a voice describing Trump as “the toughest, most resilient person I ever met,” and ends with the disclaimer “paid for by the U.S. government.” She asked Kennedy whether that represented the best use of taxpayer funds.
Kennedy: Noem’s spending was ‘master class dumb’
Kennedy began by revisiting his past criticism of then-Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who he said spent $220 million on commercials about herself. “What she did was master class dumb,” Kennedy said, adding that he had called her out for it at the time.
When Brennan suggested the new ad appeared to be about President Trump, Kennedy expanded his argument. “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,” he said. He acknowledged that the White House sees the matter differently, but insisted there should be a rule against using public funds for self-promotion.
Kennedy then floated a broader restriction. “I also think that we ought to have a rule that no politician can have a building named after him while he’s alive,” he said. “I think that would settle a lot of this controversy. We have that rule in Louisiana. It works pretty well.”
Brennan responded, “Well, we’ll watch, Senator, if you introduce that.”
During the same exchange, Kennedy said he might “end up with a sombrero on my head” for his willingness to criticize members of his own party, a colorful aside that underscored his reputation as an independent-minded senator.
The comments come amid ongoing debate over the use of taxpayer dollars for government communications that critics say blur the line between public information and political advertising. The ad Brennan referenced is part of a broader campaign that has drawn scrutiny from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.
Kennedy’s proposal to ban posthumous building namings for living politicians echoes a Louisiana state law that prohibits naming public buildings after sitting officials. He suggested that applying a similar standard federally could reduce controversies over self-promotion.
It remains unclear whether Kennedy intends to formally introduce such legislation. A spokesperson for his office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Source: www.breitbart.com โ https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2026/09/27/sen-john-kennedy-no-politician-should-have-a-building-named-after-him-while-hes-alive/