The Democratic National Committee (DNC) has filed a lawsuit against President Donald Trump and his administration, seeking a court order to stop the use of taxpayer money for election-related television advertisements that praise the president. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Washington, alleges a "blatant violation of the statutory ban on the use of appropriations for ‘publicity or propaganda purposes.’"
Taxpayer-funded ads that began airing in late September have drawn bipartisan criticism. One ad features Trump stating, "America will never be a communist country," while a chorus repeats the phrase "love me." Another combines images of Mount Rushmore with footage of Trump discussing a "golden age of America."
Trump acknowledged the ads on his Truth Social platform, describing them as "a positive promotion for our Great U.S.A." However, he also stated that taxpayer funding for the ads would cease. The White House subsequently announced that Trump’s MAGA PAC would fund the advertisements.
The DNC's lawsuit contends that the ads continued to run even after Trump's comments. "With less than 30 days remaining before the midterm election and millions of public dollars apportioned to pay for propaganda ads still unspent, the DNC has no choice but to take action in defense of free and fair elections," the lawsuit states.
Reports indicate that Trump personally directed the White House budget director to allocate taxpayer funds for the TV spots. The ads have been broadcast during programming such as football games as recently as Sunday. A source familiar with the matter told Reuters that the government-funded ads are expected to conclude this week.
The White House has stated that the president's political action committee will not reimburse the U.S. government for the ads that have already aired. The advertisements conclude with a disclaimer indicating they were paid for by the U.S. government.