USA Newsblog: Democrats sue Trump over campaign financing

For our live blog, in addition to our own research, we use material from the news agencies dpa, Reuters, epd, KNA, and Bloomberg. Important Updates Advertising with tax money? Democrats sue Trump US press for information on the pest suspicion in Russia State of emergency in US state New York due to measles cases According to the media: Bomber withdrawal from Great Britain due to danger of Iranian drone attack Beni Rae Harmony is the new Vice Spokesperson of the White House Barbara Klimke Advertising with tax money? Democrats sue Trump Due to the accusation of financing election advertising with tax money, Democrats have filed a lawsuit against US President Donald Trump. The government violates the ban on using budget funds for "advertising or propaganda purposes," argues the party group DNC in the lawsuit. Trump is accused of personally ordering the action – and the US Treasury Department is accused of diverting $20 million for it. Furthermore, according to Democrats, the "illegal use of tax money by the Trump administration for election advertising" deprives them of a fair electoral process. This is a disadvantage. They ask the court in Washington to prohibit the US government from using budget funds for the creation and broadcast of advertising clips. In the weeks leading up to the important midterm elections in the US, videos showing Trump's agitation, funded by the government, are currently circulating. These videos, broadcast on several TV channels, convey an anti-communism message, among other things. One is similar to Trump's 2024 election ad. Trump speaks in the black-and-white video about the "last battle": "Communists, Marxists and Fascists will be driven out." In another, it is displayed: "Funded by the US government." Democrats have been criticizing the videos for a long time. Republicans have also criticized them. Tax money may not be used for election advertising in the US. Following accusations of financing election advertising with tax money, Trump recently announced that he wants to bear the costs of the controversial video messages himself. However, it remains unclear whether he will also cover the costs already paid with tax money. Furthermore, according to Democrats, the "illegal use of tax money by the Trump administration for election advertising" deprives them of a fair electoral process. This is a disadvantage. They ask the court in Washington to prohibit the US government from using budget funds for the creation and broadcast of advertising clips. In the weeks leading up to the important midterm elections in the US, videos showing Trump's agitation, funded by the government, are currently circulating. These videos, broadcast on several TV channels, convey an anti-communism message, among other things. One is similar to Trump's 2024 election ad. Trump speaks in the black-and-white video about the "last battle": "Communists, Marxists and Fascists will be driven out." In another, it is displayed: "Funded by the US government." Democrats have been criticizing the videos for a long time. Republicans have also criticized them. Tax money may not be used for election advertising in the US. Following accusations of financing election advertising with tax money, Trump recently announced that he wants to bear the costs of the controversial video messages himself. However, it remains unclear whether he will also cover the costs already paid with tax money. Barbara Klimke US press for information on the pest suspicion in Russia US President Donald Trump wants to speak with Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin about the suspicion of lung plague. He answered a journalist's question about whether he had spoken with Putin about the case: "I have an appointment for a phone call." It will happen very soon. The US health agency CDC had previously stated on the platform X that it is aware of reports about the suspicion in the Russian region Irkutsk, which led to the death of a laboratory assistant. The CDC also made it clear that the reported case is not confirmed. According to the relevant Russian authorities, the death of the 28-year-old who worked at the Institute for Combating Plague Diseases was not due to a pest, as the cause of death was named a "pneumonia of unknown origin." The woman died on Friday at the district hospital in Schelechow in Irkutsk in Siberia. The World Health Organization (WHO) is also pressing for more information from Russia. The WHO offered Russia help in clarifying the cause. They are in contact with the Russian health authorities and have offered technical support, shared WHO Chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on the platform X. Find more on the topic here: The US health agency CDC had previously stated on the platform X that it is aware of reports about the suspicion in the Russian region Irkutsk, which led to the death of a laboratory assistant. The CDC also made it clear that the reported case is not confirmed. According to the relevant Russian authorities, the death of the 28-year-old who worked at the Institute for Combating Plague Diseases was not due to a pest, as the cause of death was named a "pneumonia of unknown origin." The woman died on Friday at the district hospital in Schelechow in Irkutsk in Siberia. The World Health Organization (WHO) is also pressing for more information from Russia. The WHO offered Russia help in clarifying the cause. They are in contact with the Russian health authorities and have offered technical support, shared WHO Chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on the platform X. Find more on the topic here: Trump wants to pay for "patriotic" advertising himself Following the accusations of financing election advertising with tax money, US President Donald Trump wants to bear the costs of the controversial video messages himself. He considers the clips "positive advertising for our great USA," and actually believes it is "standard" to spend US money for it, wrote Trump on his platform Truth Social. However, he has decided to pay for the "patriotic advertising" himself and with the money he collected for the "Make America Great Again" movement. State of emergency in US state New York due to measles cases Due to rising numbers of measles infections in rural areas of the US state of New York, Governor Kathy Hochul has declared a state of emergency. This allows the state to respond more quickly to the outbreak and permits medical personnel to take additional measures to vaccinate and test more residents of New York if needed, according to a statement. Among other things, this executive order can expand the circle of those allowed to administer vaccinations, such as emergency responders and pharmacists. "No one should get seriously ill or die from a disease that can be avoided by vaccination," Hochul said. "That is why I have taken measures to increase the number of medical professionals who can carry out vaccinations and tests." According to the statement, as of October 3rd, a total of 108 measles cases have been recorded in the state of New York since the beginning of the year – seven of them in the million-city of New York City and 101 in the rest of the area. At the same time, case numbers are rising nationwide and globally, as further stated. In the US, the number of measles infections had already reached its highest level in decades by July. More than 2300 cases were registered in 45 states and thus more than in the entire year 2025, as shown by data from the CDC and Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. The neighboring country Canada lost its status as "measles-free" with the World Health Organization (WHO) after an outbreak in 2025. The health minister appointed by US President Donald Trump, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has been under criticism for some time due to the rising numbers of measles infections. He had repeatedly expressed doubts about the validity of vaccinations. The circle of those allowed to administer vaccinations can be expanded with this executive order, including emergency responders and pharmacists. "No one should get seriously ill or die from a disease that can be avoided by vaccination," Hochul said. "That is why I have taken measures to increase the number of medical professionals who can carry out vaccinations and tests." According to the statement, as of October 3rd, a total of 108 measles cases have been recorded in the state of New York since the beginning of the year – seven of them in the million-city of New York City and 101 in the rest of the area. At the same time, case numbers are rising nationwide and globally, as further stated. In the US, the number of measles infections had already reached its highest level in decades by July. More than 2300 cases were registered in 45 states and thus more than in the entire year 2025, as shown by data from the CDC and Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. The neighboring country Canada lost its status as "measles-free" with the World Health Organization (WHO) after an outbreak in 2025. The health minister appointed by US President Donald Trump, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has been under criticism for some time due to the rising numbers of measles infections. He had repeatedly expressed doubts about the validity of vaccinations. Former Trump spokesperson Leavitt switches to Fox News The former White House spokesperson, Karoline Leavitt, will work for the conservative station Fox News starting November 1st. The station announced this in a statement. Leavitt will provide political analyses and commentary, it was said. According to the statement, Leavitt lives in New Hampshire. According to CNN, Fox News wants to set up a studio in Leavitt's house. The 29-year-old will work there. Leavitt is the third press spokesperson of US President Donald Trump to switch to the conservative station. Kayleigh McEnany, who held this position in the final phase of Trump's first term, already switched to Fox News, as did Sarah Huckabee Sanders. Leavitt resigned from her position as Trump's press spokesperson at the end of August to have more time for her family, as she said. The former White House spokesperson had given birth to her second child in May and was just returning from maternity leave when she announced her resignation. Leavitt already has a two-year-old son. Karoline Leavitt will give a speech at the Republican party convention in September. . Julio Cortez/AP/dpa Pressure on a speedboat in the Caribbean with four dead The US military has once again destroyed a speedboat in the Caribbean, allegedly used for drug smuggling, killing four people. The military command Southcom responsible for the region published a video showing a boat being hit by an unidentified shell, exploding and bursting into a huge fireball. The speedboat was allegedly involved in drug trafficking according to intelligence reports. These reports could not be independently verified. By order of President Donald Trump, the US military has been repeatedly attacking boats in the Caribbean and the Eastern Pacific since last autumn with which drugs are allegedly smuggled into the US. As with this time, the deceased "drug terrorists" are usually mentioned afterward. In total, dozens of boats are alleged to have been hit and more than two hundred people killed in the operation "Southern Spear". Critics doubt that the deadly attacks in international waters are legally permissible under international law. Barbara Klimke US Air Force orders bombers from Great Britain for security reasons The US has withdrawn its twelve B-1 bombers from the British Air Force base RAF Fairford. This happened a week after the arrest of several men suspected of preparing terrorist attacks there. "We can now confirm that all US bombers stationed at the base RAF Fairford have returned to their home bases in the United States," said a spokesperson for the Department of Defense. The Pentagon explained that for reasons of operational security, the relocation could not be confirmed "in real-time." According to New York Times information, new threats to the military base were the reason for the surprising withdrawal of the US long-range bombers. The Pentagon did not comment on this. British Prime Minister Andy Burnham had said last week there were "strong signs" of Iran's involvement in the alleged attack plans. The Iranian embassy in London called this propaganda. Great Britain had allowed the US to use the bombers for attacks on Iranian missile sites from which ships in the Strait of Hormuz were attacked. Anna Lea Jakobs