The Democratic National Committee (DNC) sues the Trump administration, seeking to block television advertisements it says use taxpayer money to promote the president’s political message. Multiple outlets report the lawsuit is filed in connection with recent ads broadcast on national cable and broadcast television.
According to the DNC, the administration used federal funds—allegedly including money allocated to the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) —for election-related advertising, and it characterizes the broadcasts as “propaganda” that should not be paid for with appropriations. Several reports cite the figure of about $20 million and note the ads include “Paid for by the U.S. Government” language.
Outlets also describe that Trump announced an intention to have his campaign and affiliated political committees pay for similar ads going forward, following bipartisan criticism. The differing angles among sources center on the DNC’s legal theory—namely a claimed statutory ban on using appropriations for “publicity or propaganda”—and on how specific funding sources are alleged to have been diverted for the broadcasts.
