Democrats Sue Trump to Halt Taxpayer-Funded TV Ads Praising Him Ahead of Midterms

The Democratic National Committee sued President Donald Trump on Wednesday, asking a federal court in Washington to block his administration from spending taxpayer money on television ads praising him ahead of the midterm elections, according to Reuters.

The lawsuit accuses the administration of violating the statutory ban on using appropriated funds for “publicity or propaganda purposes,” Reuters reported. The ads began airing in late September and drew bipartisan criticism, according to the report.

Ads continued after Trump said taxpayer funding would stop

Trump said in a Truth Social post on Monday that he considered the ads a positive promotion for the United States but that they would no longer be funded by taxpayers, and the White House said this week that his MAGA political action committee would pay for them, according to Reuters. The DNC said in its filing that the ads kept running anyway, including during football broadcasts as recently as Sunday, Reuters reported.

The lawsuit argues that, with less than 30 days left before the midterm election and millions of public dollars allocated for the ads still unspent, the party had no choice but to ask a court to intervene in defense of free and fair elections, according to Reuters. The New York Times reported that Trump personally directed the White House budget director to use taxpayer money for the spots, citing sources, Reuters said.

What the ads show, and what happens next

Reuters reported that one ad features Trump declaring that America will never be a communist country while a chorus repeats the words “love me,” that another pairs images of Mount Rushmore with footage of Trump praising a “golden age of America,” and that a newer ad has featured ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. The ads close with a disclaimer saying they were paid for by the U.S. government, according to the report.

A source briefed on the matter told Reuters the government-funded ads will end this week. The White House said Trump’s political action committee will not reimburse taxpayers for the ads that have already aired, according to Reuters.

Reporting based on coverage by Reuters.