A federal judge has ordered U.S. President Donald Trump to halt any remaining taxpayer-funded television commercials promoting his political message, despite the administration’s announcement that the ad campaign was concluding. The order came following a challenge by a coalition, including non-partisan watchdog Common Cause, arguing that the ads constituted an illegal misuse of funds.
U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Rochon in New York issued a temporary restraining order instructing the administration to cancel any outstanding ads, including those scheduled to air that evening. Rochon explicitly stated that the administration must refrain from entering into new agreements for the development, creation, dissemination, or airing of the contested advertisements during the two-week period covered by her order.
The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment, while the Justice Department contended in a court filing that the temporary restraining order was unnecessary as the contested activities were set to cease imminently.
The Department of Homeland Security allocated $20 million from taxpayer funds for the ads, drawing criticism from legal experts who argue that such expenditures violate federal statutes prohibiting the use of congressionally appropriated funds for “publicity or propaganda.” This money was part of a larger $175 million package Congress granted to the department for Trump’s immigration enforcement initiatives.
While the White House has defended the ads as public service announcements in line with past administrations’ practices, critics note that these recent ads deviate from traditional public service announcements by not directly assisting the public in accessing government programs. One of the ads closely mirrors a 2024 campaign ad used by Trump during his presidential re-election bid.