The Democratic National Committee is suing the Trump administration, alleging it illegally diverted $20 million in federal funds to produce and broadcast partisan political advertisements.The ad campaign was designed to boost Republican prospects in the upcoming 2026 midterm elections and shore up President Donald Trump’s approval ratings — a move the DNC argues constitutes unlawful "publicity or propaganda," the lawsuit states.The lawsuit claims President Trump personally directed the campaign, violating the longstanding statutory ban on using federal appropriations for "publicity or propaganda purposes."REPUBLICAN PARTY TO HOST HISTORIC MIDTERM CONVENTION IN DALLAS, TRUMP ANNOUNCES ON TRUTH SOCIALPresident Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office of the White House on Wednesday, Oct.7, 2026, in Washington, D.C.
(Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP Photo)"President Trump’s political propaganda ads are an attempt to resuscitate his historically low approval ratings and avoid widespread Republican defeats in the 2026 midterm election," the lawsuit states."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.’"The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) transferred the funds from money authorized under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, according to court filings.2026 MIDTERMS STATE OF PLAY: KEY RACES UNFOLD AS STEVENS, EL-SAYED BATTLE IN MICHIGANThe OMB approved reallocating the funds into a U.S.
Customs and Border Protection line item designated for "Commemorative Events," according to the lawsuit.The lawsuit also notes that congressional committee reports explicitly restricted that line item to line-of-duty death memorials, agency anniversaries, and commendation ceremonies.The lawsuit highlights mounting pressure on Republicans, noting that polling numbers have dropped in traditional battlegrounds as well as in typically conservative states...