Democrats sue US President Trump over taxpayer-funded ad campaign

Key Points:

• The Democratic National Committee and the watchdog group Common Cause have filed separate lawsuits against President Donald Trump, alleging that publicly funded TV ads promoting his political policies violate laws prohibiting the use of taxpayer money for political propaganda.
• The lawsuits contend Trump improperly redirected $20 million from Congress-allocated funds for border security commemorative activities to finance the ads, violating the US Constitution’s separation of powers and appropriations restrictions.
• The ads, which began airing in September and have cost over $12 million, have faced bipartisan criticism and are reportedly unpopular with 86% of Americans surveyed, including many Republicans.
• Trump defends the ads as patriotic promotion similar to past public outreach campaigns but has since stated that future ads will not use taxpayer funds, though he has not committed to repaying the money already spent.
• Some Republican leaders have criticized the ads for their content and funding, with Senator Thom Tillis comparing them to propaganda from authoritarian regimes and Senate Majority Leader John Thune opposing taxpayer financing despite agreeing with some ad messages.