Judge Orders Trump Administration to Cancel Taxpayer-Funded Political TV Ads

NEW YORK, Oct. 12 (TodayViralUSA) — A federal judge ordered the Trump administration on Sunday night to cancel any remaining television commercials financed with taxpayer money that promote the president’s political message, granting a temporary restraining order even as officials said the roughly $20 million campaign was already ending.

U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Rochon in Manhattan sided with a coalition led by the nonpartisan watchdog Common Cause that argued the ads illegally diverted Homeland Security funds into campaign-style messaging weeks before the Nov. 3 midterm elections.

“Defendants shall not enter into, renew, or expand any agreement authorizing the development, creation, dissemination, placement, or airing of the challenged advertisements” for the two-week duration of the order, Rochon wrote.

Customs and Border Protection account tapped

The Department of Homeland Security financed the ads from Customs and Border Protection accounts drawn from a $175 million immigration-enforcement package approved by Congress. Legal experts have said that use of appropriated money for “publicity or propaganda” can violate long-standing federal spending restrictions.

In a late Saturday filing, the Justice Department told the court a temporary restraining order was unnecessary because “the alleged offending conduct will end tomorrow.” Border Patrol officials separately told the court there were “no plans” to expand beyond the existing buy.

The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment Sunday night. Administration lawyers have defended the spots as public-service announcements comparable to those used by prior administrations to promote policy priorities.

Campaign-style messaging, critics say

Critics countered that the ads differ sharply from traditional public-service spots because they do not help viewers enroll in a specific government program. One commercial closely mirrors a 2024 reelection ad Trump aired during his presidential campaign, according to court filings and contemporaneous reporting.

The ruling does not resolve the underlying lawsuit. It freezes further placement while the parties litigate whether the campaign violated federal appropriations rules and whether plaintiffs have standing to seek broader relief.

With early voting already underway in more than a dozen states, the order lands as both parties intensify television buys in competitive House and Senate races. The temporary restraining order remains in effect for two weeks unless modified by the court.