WASHINGTON (AP) — Two lawsuits filed Wednesday are challenging the Trump administration’s use of federal money to pay for a series of television advertisements, according to The Associated Press.

The Democratic National Committee filed one lawsuit alleging the advertisements amount to government-sponsored propaganda and improperly use taxpayer money to promote President Donald Trump’s political message.

A separate lawsuit was filed later Wednesday by the legal advocacy group Democracy Forward on behalf of Common Cause, a New York public employee union and a Democratic state legislative candidate in Alabama. It also alleges federal funds are being improperly used for the advertisements.

Both lawsuits are asking federal judges to stop federal money from being used to pay for the campaign.

The advertisements began airing in September and have cost more than $12 million to run, according to media tracking firm AdImpact. The Department of Homeland Security awarded a $20 million contract for the campaign.

Trump has defended the advertisements as promoting the United States and said Monday that his MAGA Inc. super PAC would pay for them going forward. However, another advertisement carrying a notice that it was paid for by the U.S. government began airing Tuesday.

Asked whether previously spent government money would be reimbursed, Trump told reporters a decision had not been made.

The legal challenges center in part on a federal restriction against using congressionally appropriated money for certain publicity or propaganda purposes.

The White House has defended the advertisements as public service announcements similar to those used by previous administrations to promote government policies.

The lawsuits are the first legal challenges to the television campaign and come less than a month before November’s midterm elections.