The Democratic National Committee has filed a lawsuit against President Donald Trump and his administration, alleging the illegal use of taxpayer funds for political advertisements that promote the president. The DNC contends that the White House is using public money to aid Republican candidates ahead of the midterm elections, violating federal laws.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Washington, claims the administration continued to air the ads at government expense even after Trump announced he would use his super PAC, MAGA Inc., to cover the costs moving forward. The DNC argues that with less than 30 days until the midterms and millions in public funds unspent for "propaganda ads," action was necessary to defend free and fair elections.
DNC Chair Ken Martin stated on X that Trump should not use the federal government as his "personal campaign operation" and make taxpayers fund partisan propaganda, calling it an "abuse of power."
The DNC cited a measure signed by Trump this year that prohibits using appropriated congressional funds for "publicity or propaganda purposes within the United States not heretofore authorized by Congress." The suit also references the Anti-Deficiency Act, which bars spending unappropriated government money, and the Purpose Statute, which mandates funds be used only for their approved purposes. The committee argued that the use of public funds for "campaign-style advertisements" disadvantages Democratic candidates.
Trump reversed course Monday, announcing on Truth Social that he would no longer use government funds for the ads and that his PAC would pay for them. However, several ads continued to run with a U.S. government disclaimer. The White House declined to specify whether those ads were paid for before or after Trump's pledge. A person familiar with the ads indicated that the ad buy placed before Trump's announcement would conclude that week, after which outside groups would fund them. A $20 million contract was awarded for the campaign, with at least $10 million spent by Monday, according to AdImpact.
Attorneys for the DNC requested a federal judge declare the administration's actions unlawful and prevent future use of appropriated funds for such ads. Martin also condemned the use of taxpayer dollars amid rising living costs for Americans.
The federal money for the ads originated from funds designated for Customs and Border Protection, an arm of the Department of Homeland Security. Reports indicate that CBP leadership was excluded from the decision to run the ads. Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr, a Trump appointee, stated last week that the ads did not warrant FCC review, deeming them "not anything at all out of the ordinary." The White House defended the ads as "clearly not political" and intended to "remind Americans to love their country," drawing parallels to public safety announcements from other administrations.
