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 that praise the president. The lawsuit accuses Trump of a "blatant violation of the statutory ban on the use of appropriations for 'publicity or propaganda purposes'" — the sharpest escalation yet in a fight over more than $12 million in public funds spent on what Democrats call campaign-style self-promotion weeks before the November 3 midterm elections.
The ads at the center of the case
The taxpayer-funded spots began airing in late September and have run nationally and locally, including during NFL and college football games. The lawsuit identifies five ads — "The Country He Loves," a spot celebrating the capture of former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, "Final Battle," "Mount Rushmore," and "American Military Power" — that celebrate Trump's policies and rhetoric, denounce socialism and communism, and display American military power during the Iran war. One features Trump declaring that "America will never be a communist country" while a chorus sings "love me"; another pairs images of Mount Rushmore with footage of Trump proclaiming a "golden age of America."
Media tracking firm AdImpact estimates the campaign has cost more than $12 million, while the lawsuit says a total of $20 million in Department of Homeland Security funding has been tapped. A fifth ad, promoting Trump's military intervention in Venezuela, began airing on October 6 with a disclaimer reading "paid for by the U.S. Government."
Why the DNC is suing now
The DNC argues the ads are illegal government-sponsored propaganda and asks the court to declare the administration acted unlawfully and to bar the use of appropriated funds for future ads. "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. DNC Chair Ken Martin called the spending a "last-ditch attempt to save Republicans in November."
Crucially, the complaint says ads kept airing after Trump's promise to shift funding: Trump said Monday on Truth Social that the ads were "a positive promotion for our Great U.S.A." but would no longer be taxpayer-funded, and the White House said his MAGA Inc. super PAC would take over — yet an ad aired during "Dancing with the Stars" on October 6 and another on "Fox & Friends" the next morning, both still bearing government-funding disclosures. The White House has said the PAC will not reimburse taxpayers for money already spent; Trump said Monday only that "we'll decide."
How the White House defends them
The administration has defended the spots as public-service announcements promoting American achievements. A White House official told the Washington Examiner the "Country He Loves" ad is "clearly not political" and has no call to action, and Trump said last week: "I'm not promoting myself because I'm not running for office. I'm promoting the country." Legal experts cited by the AP noted the ads may differ from traditional PSAs because they do not direct the public to a specific government program or benefit.
The backlash has not been confined to Democrats. A Reuters/Ipsos poll found 86% of Americans — including four in five Republicans — called the use of public money for the ads inappropriate. Senator Thom Tillis (R) compared the spots to something former Hungarian leader Viktor Orban would air, while Senate Majority Leader John Thune said he agreed with the message in one ad but stressed it "shouldn't be paid for with taxpayer dollars."
What comes next
Separately, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington has filed a complaint with the Department of Homeland Security's inspector general alleging the campaign violated federal spending laws. The court has not ruled on the merits of the lawsuit. With early voting underway in parts of the country and less than a month to the midterms, the case turns the taxpayer-funded ads into a live test of the line between government communication and political propaganda.
Music in this post's reel: Kevin MacLeod - Hitman (incompetech.com), licensed under CC BY 3.0
Sources
- Reuters: Democrats sue Trump to halt taxpayer-funded TV ads that praised him
- Democracy Docket: Trump sued for using taxpayer money on campaign-style ads ahead of midterms
- Washington Examiner: DNC sues Trump, alleging misuse of federal funds for "propaganda" ads
- Al Jazeera: Democrats sue US president Trump over taxpayer-funded ad campaign