The Democratic National Committee (DNC) has asked a federal judge to curb White House work on political ads, alleging that publicly paid staff developed a spot the Trump-aligned super PAC MAGA Inc. began airing.
In an Oct. 19 status report in a lawsuit it filed earlier this month, the DNC said MAGA Inc. began broadcasting the ad over the preceding weekend. The White House dates a video titled “Every Democrat Voted Against No Tax on Tips” to Oct. 12. The DNC said the PAC aired the same video with a notice that it had paid for the airtime.
The DNC alleges that White House Office personnel developed the spot while receiving salaries funded by congressional appropriations. It has asked the judge to prevent the office from producing or distributing this video and comparable ads. No court has ruled on the ad’s authorship or legality.
The DNC cites Section 718 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026, which restricts the use of appropriated money for domestic publicity Congress has not authorized. The party argues that public support for political ads would allow MAGA Inc. to keep more of its funds for other campaign spending. Federal Election Commission records show the PAC had $415.8 million in cash on hand as of Aug. 31, 2026.
A declaration in a separate lawsuit over earlier government ads addresses a different expense. Holly C. Mehringer, the Department of Homeland Security’s Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Chief Financial Officer, said U.S. Customs and Border Protection issued a $20 million purchase order for national media services to Lepugh, Inc. (doing business as LMD Agency, Inc.). She said about $19 million in media placements had been purchased through Oct. 11. Mehringer said the order covered the airing of existing material, not video production; her declaration did not address work on the new tax ad.
In that separate New York case, a judge has restricted federal spending on the ads challenged there through Nov. 8. The order has not been shown to cover the new tax ad. A hearing on whether to extend the restriction is scheduled for Nov. 4.
