DNC sues to stop Trump's taxpayer-funded ad blitz

President Trump said he will help pay for his administration's campaign-style ads after the Democratic National Committee sued Wednesday over their use of taxpayer money.

Why it matters: Trump's funding announcement does not address the DNC's central allegation that the administration illegally used taxpayer money to finance the ads.

What they're saying: Trump said in a Truth Social post that he considers the ads "to be a positive promotion for our Great U.S.A." and defended using taxpayer money for them.

"This is a rather standard thing to do but, rather than doing that, although nothing will make them happy, I have decided to do the Patriotic Ads, among others, and pay for them myself," Trump wrote.

Trump said money from MAGA Inc., his superPAC, would also pay for the ads.

A person familiar with the advertising plans said the existing taxpayer-funded ad buy will end this week, after which outside groups will begin paying for the spots.

The White House defended the ads as public service announcements, arguing that previous Republican and Democratic administrations have used taxpayer-funded advertising to promote government policies.

The White House said the ads are not political because Trump is not on the ballot and the spots contain no call to action.

The other side: "These ads are a clear violation of the Congressional ban on the use of appropriated funds for 'publicity or propaganda purposes,'" the DNC's legal counsel wrote in the lawsuit .

"The president has nationalized the midterm election, made himself the center of a two-day 'midterm convention,' and repeatedly directed voters to 'pretend that I am on the ballot," it added.

"As the 2026 midterm election has approached, Republican poll numbers have plummeted in both traditional battlegrounds and typically favorable states, and Democrats are poised to take control of Congress, governors' mansions, and state legislatures around the country." Zoom in: The lawsuit alleges the White House crafted the ads to boost the president's approval ratings and help Republican candidates.

The complaint largely focuses on its allegation that the ads were paid for with money originally allocated for Customs and Border Protection that was rerouted for the TV spots.

The DNC argues that the ads violate the Administrative Procedure Act, the Antideficiency Act, and the Purpose Act.

The DNC asked a federal judge to step in, declare the administration's actions illegal and immediately block them from airing any more ads paid for with taxpayer money.