On Monday, Jan. 4, GOP candidate Donald Trump released his first paid television ad. The ad featured Trump’s intentions to put a temporary ban on Muslim immigration and build a wall on the Mexican-American border.

Since Donald Trump announced his campaign in June of 2015, he has drawn a lot of attention to himself. Those who haven’t paid attention to politics their whole lives have started keeping up with things just to see what Trump will say next. With his blustery speeches and outrageous comments that inspire outrage, humor and sometimes respect, Trump has taken over the Republican polls and as the first primary elections come closer, he remains the front-runner.

Trump originally intended on spending much more on his campaign. At this point, Fox News learned he should have spent $20 million but because he was doing so well and received so much publicity, he refrained. This is the first week of his new plan to spend $2 million a week on campaign advertising.

Much of the controversy regarding Trump is centered on the topics he addressed in his ad, and the ad inspired even more controversy. While addressing the great wall Trump intends to build, the ad displays a scene in which a number of people are running for a border. It was revealed that the footage came from Morocco. According to Fox News, a Trump spokesperson said of the footage, “The use of this footage was intentional and selected to demonstrate the severe impact of an open border and the very real threat Americans face if we do not immediately build a wall and stop illegal immigration.”

Despite the issues the ad raises and addresses, many see the ad as effective. It is consistent with the rest of Trump’s previous statements and campaigns and by commenting in the ad on how politicians disagree with him, he disassociates himself with the typical image of a politician even more than he already has–something those who are voting for him will appreciate.

No doubt in the coming weeks as Trump releases more ads there will be more controversy, more ammunition for his haters to use against him, and more powerful displays of Trump’s distinction for his supporters to dote on.

Click on this link to view the ad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEAJrT8PeOo

Alex Houdeshell, Assistant Editor-in-Chief of Horizons

Junior Alex Houdeshell is the Assistant Editor-in-Chief of the 2015-2016 Horizons Yearbook. She is the president of Operation Smile and participates in Cupcakes for Causes. She is on the soccer team and she runs Indoor Track and Track and Field.