DNC sues to block Trump administration from using government funds for political ads

The Democratic National Committee (DNC) on Wednesday sued the Trump administration, claiming it misused congressional appropriations in using government funding to run new ads featuring the president.

“The Trump Administration is using taxpayer dollars to air political advertisements, a blatant violation of the statutory ban on the use of appropriations for ‘publicity or propaganda purposes.’ President Trump personally directed this illegal activity,” the DNC claims in the suit.

“The Trump Administration’s illegal use of taxpayer dollars for campaign-style advertisements deprives the DNC of a fair electoral process by adding public funds to the resources available to support Republican candidates. The use of public funds also places the DNC and Democratic candidates at an electoral disadvantage, even though the publicly funded propaganda advertisements are deeply unpopular with American voters, by preserving funds held by campaign committees and PACs—including MAGA Inc.—for other political expenditures.”

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The suit asks the court to enjoin the ads, blocking the administration from continuing to use government funds to run them.

Trump has faced mounting criticism over the ads, one of which features the song “Love Me” by artist JMSN, who said the song was used without his permission.

The 30-second ad shows numerous images of the president overlaid by quotes from recent speeches demeaning communism while also crediting himself for the largest tax cuts in history.

The ads have been paid for through funding earmarked for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

Trump on Monday reserved course , saying he would use his own political fundraising dollars to continue to pay for the ads.

But the suit notes that, thus far, that has not happened.

“Yet for the next two days, the ads have continued to air, still labeled ‘Paid for by the U.S. Government,’” the DNC wrote in its suit.

In response to a request for comment on Wednesday’s suit, the White House referred The Hill to Trump’s Monday pledge to fund the ads himself.

The White House has said Trump does not plan to reimburse the government for the $10 million already spent on the ad.

The suit from the DNC comes after the watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington filed a complaint with the Department of Homeland Security Inspector General asserting that the ad campaign violated numerous laws, including the Antideficiency Act, the Purpose Statute and the Consolidated Appropriations Act, each of which place limitations on how federal funding can be spent.

“The propaganda ads marshal government resources in support of the President’s party in advance of the 2026 midterm election. This use of Congressional appropriations for partisan purposes violates the clear command of federal law. Fundamentally, the ads undermine free and fair elections,” it wrote.

The suit references other ads in the series prepared for the president beyond the “Love Me” ad, including those referencing the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, another in which Trump pledges to “demolish the Deep State,” and others featuring Mount Rushmore and promoting America’s military power.

Another component of the suit is the harm to the DNC, framing itself as a direct competitor to Trump’s efforts.

“The Trump Administration has continued to air the ads at public expense and preserved MAGA Inc.’s funds for other political efforts adverse to Democratic candidates and the DNC,” they said, referencing Trump’s political action committee that has otherwise spent $25 million campaigning for Republicans or against Democrats.

“This alters campaign spending rules in ways that deprive ‘candidate[s] of a fair process.'”