Story highlights Trump will air spots in five states

Trump has aired no general election ads

(CNN) Donald Trump this weekend will begin airing general election advertisements, putting an end to an unprecedented advertising gap.

Trump campaign chair Paul Manafort and other aides told about 50 Capitol Hill Republicans on a conference call Tuesday that he would begin advertisements in five states, according to a congressional source. The spots will air in five states, according to a Trump adviser: Virginia, North Carolina, Ohio, Florida and Pennsylvania -- all places where Trump is trailing solidly.

Republicans close to the campaign do not expect a major advertising push until September.

Trump so far has been belatedly bolstered on television principally by three outside groups: Two pro-Trump super PACs, Rebuilding America Now and Great America PAC, along with the National Rifle Association. Yet those forces only spent about $15 million since the Republican primary ended. Campaigns pay significantly lower rates than do outside groups for the same amount of airtime.

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