NEW YORK – A federal judge has ordered President Donald Trump’s administration to halt any remaining television advertisements funded with taxpayer dollars to promote his political agenda. The Sunday night ruling came as administration officials said the $20 million campaign was already nearing its scheduled end.
U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Rochon in New York granted a request from a coalition that included the nonpartisan watchdog Common Cause, which argued that the advertisements represented an unlawful use of federal funds. Her temporary restraining order directs the government to pull all outstanding ads, including spots scheduled to air Sunday evening.
For the two-week period covered by the order, the administration is barred from entering, renewing or expanding contracts connected to the “development, creation, dissemination, placement, or airing of the challenged advertisements,” Rochon wrote.
The White House did not immediately answer an email seeking comment Sunday night. In a filing submitted late Saturday, the Justice Department maintained that the court order was unnecessary, saying the conduct at issue was expected to end “tomorrow.”
The Department of Homeland Security allocated $20 million in taxpayer funds for the campaign. Legal experts have questioned whether the spending violates a federal law prohibiting the use of congressional appropriations for “publicity or propaganda,” along with potentially other federal statutes. The money came from a broader $175 million package Congress approved for the department as part of Trump’s immigration enforcement strategy.
The White House has characterized the commercials as public service announcements, pointing to similar efforts by previous administrations to explain or promote government policies. Critics argue the Trump ads are different because they do not primarily help people access a specific public program. One commercial also closely mirrors an advertisement Trump used during his 2024 presidential reelection campaign.
