Democrats sue US President Trump over taxpayer-funded ad campaign
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- President’s U-turn comes after Democrats and Republicans condemned use of tax dollars for pro-Trump ads Donald Trump said on Monday he would pay for taxpayer-funded, pro-Trump ads “with money I raised for MAGA, Inc.”, a political action committee, after the television advertisements glorifying…
- The ads, which tout Trump and his policies, could have violated US laws barring public government funds being spent on political advertising.
- Experts say president is vulnerable amid discontent over rising prices – and the US public has ample cause for complaint In Donald Trump’s telling, he’s a model of incorruptible self-sacrifice. “I’m the only president that donated his salary,” he told a group of cheering supporters at a Hispanic…
- President claims commercials were ‘positive promotion for our Great USA’ but says he will now cover their cost Sign up for Breaking News US email Hello and welcome to the US politics live blog. Donald Trump has said he will stop using taxpayer funds for television advertisements glorifying…
- Ads promoting the president have cost more than $12m and his Super Pac has refused to reimburse taxpayers Sign up to The Stakes 2026: your weekly guide to the US midterms The Democratic National Committee sued the Trump administration in federal court on Wednesday, asking a judge in Washington to…
Coverage
- Almost 170 ads and $80 million in spending and only 31% with a disclaimer: Here’s what researchers found when they tracked AI in this year’s campaign ads.
- Move comes after ethics experts criticised three nationally broadcast ads and called for independent investigations.
- Trump faced criticism from across the political divide after at least $1.5 million in federal funds was spent on TV ads. He says his MAGA Inc. super PAC will pay for future ads.
- Trump faced criticism from across the political divide after at least $1.5 million in federal funds was spent on TV ads. He says his MAGA Inc. super PAC will pay for future ads.
- Trump says he will pay for future ads, but the White House says taxpayers will not be reimbursed for past ones.
- Trump has faced a bipartisan backlash over ads that critics say violate prohibitions on taxpayer-funded propaganda.
More coverage
- The 2026 U.S. midterm campaigns are the first in which AI-generated political ads are regularly appearing on people's televisions and social media feeds. We are researchers who have been studying political advertising through the Wesleyan Media Project since 2010. This election cycle—using data…