The Democratic National Committee filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday against President Donald Trump and his administration, challenging the use of approximately $20 million in taxpayer dollars to fund television advertisements that promote Trump and his political message.
The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, names Trump, the White House, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Office of Management and Budget as defendants. The DNC alleges the ads violate multiple federal statutes, including a provision Trump signed into law this year prohibiting the use of congressionally appropriated funds "for publicity or propaganda purposes within the United States." The suit also cites the Anti-Deficiency Act and the Purpose Statute, both of which restrict how federal funds may be spent.
The television advertisements began airing in late September and feature Trump in various settings—including one declaring "America will never be a communist country," another combining Mount Rushmore imagery with Trump praising a "golden age of America," and a recent spot featuring Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. According to the media tracking firm AdImpact, the ads have already cost more than $12 million to air. The federal money came from funds intended for Customs and Border Protection, an arm of DHS, with no involvement from CBP leadership in the decision to run the ads, according to reporting by NBC News. A $20 million contract was awarded to a Maryland firm for the broader ad campaign.
The ads sparked criticism from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, who questioned their legality. In response, Trump announced Monday on Truth Social that the ads represented "a positive promotion for our Great U.S.A." but said his MAGA Inc. political action committee would cover costs going forward rather than using taxpayer funds. However, ads continued to air with disclaimers stating they were "paid for by the U.S. Government" as recently as Tuesday and Sunday. The White House would not confirm whether these ads were purchased before or after Trump's Monday announcement, and Trump told reporters the administration had not decided whether to reimburse taxpayers for ads already aired.
The DNC's complaint asks the court to declare the ads unlawful and to bar the administration from using federal funds to develop or air such advertisements in the future. DNC Chair Ken Martin said in a statement: "Americans deserve better than to have their hard-earned tax dollars used for Trump's illegal schemes," characterizing the ads as "a last-ditch attempt to save Republicans in November" with the midterm elections less than a month away. The watchdog group Common Cause separately filed its own lawsuit making similar legal arguments.
Omar Noureldin, Common Cause's senior vice president of policy and litigation, stated that the group brought the suit "because we want to make sure that no president, regardless of party, can hijack public funds to fund political self-promotion without congressional approval." He added that millions in taxpayer dollars remain unspent on the ad campaign and called for immediate action to prevent further spending.
The White House and named defendants did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the lawsuits. A person familiar with the ad buy indicated that the contracts placed before Trump's Monday announcement will end this week, after which outside groups are expected to begin paying for the ads. The defendants have not stated whether they will seek to have the case dismissed or file other responses.
