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Judge Halts Taxpayer-Funded Trump Ads Ahead of Midterms
Confirmed
In Short: A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to halt a $20 million taxpayer-funded advertising campaign promoting President Donald Trump ahead of the midterm elections.
A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to halt a $20 million taxpayer-funded advertising campaign promoting President Donald Trump ahead of the midterm elections.
U.S. District Judge Jennifer Rochon issued a 14-day temporary restraining order Sunday night in Manhattan federal court, targeting an advertising campaign financed through congressional immigration-enforcement appropriations.
The ads, which began airing in late September, were labeled 'Paid for by the U.S. Government,' and critics argued they could benefit Republicans before the midterms.
In a court declaration Saturday, senior DHS official Holly Mehringer wrote that the money came from funds appropriated by Congress that are 'available for, among other things, 'commemorating efforts and events related to border security.'
The Department of Homeland Security awarded Maryland-based LMD Agency a fully funded, one-year $20 million contract for a 'National Media Campaign' starting on Sept. 20, contracting records show.
The plaintiffs, represented by Democracy Forward, said in a statement, 'We are pleased the court acted swiftly to prevent more taxpayer dollars from being used for such blatantly unlawful political propaganda.'
The Justice Department argued that the temporary restraining order was unnecessary because 'the alleged offending conduct will end tomorrow,' but the judge disagreed.
The White House referred to an Oct. 5 social media post from Mr. Trump in which he defended the taxpayer-funded ads as 'rather standard' but, amid backlash, said he would pay for them from his political fundraising.
The commercials began airing in late September, featuring major moments from Trump’s second term, including his administration’s immigration enforcement efforts and military operations.
Legal experts have suggested that the ads violated a federal statute against congressionally appropriated money being used for 'publicity or propaganda' and potentially other laws.
The White House has compared the ads to PSAs run under former presidents, but critics argue that the ads closely mirrored campaign rhetoric.
What this adds
The judge's order came after the DNC filed a lawsuit alleging illegal use of federal funds for partisan propaganda ads.
Background
The Democratic National Committee (DNC) filed a lawsuit Wednesday in federal court in Washington, alleging that President Donald Trump illegally used $20 million in federal funds for partisan propaganda ads.
President Donald Trump announced Monday that his super PAC, MAGA, Inc., will cover the costs of a series of promotional television ads that had previously been funded by taxpayer dollars.
What's confirmed
- A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to immediately block taxpayer-funded political ads featuring President Donald Trump ahead of November’s midterm elections.
- In a court declaration Saturday, senior DHS official Holly Mehringer wrote that the money came from funds appropriated by Congress that are "available for, among other things, 'commemorating efforts and events related to border security.'" The Department of Homeland Security awarded LMD Agency $20 million for a "National Media Campaign" starting on Sept. 20, contracting records show.
- "We are pleased the court acted swiftly to prevent more taxpayer dollars from being used for such blatantly unlawful political propaganda," the plaintiffs said in a statement issued by Democracy Forward, the nonprofit legal organization that represents them.
- "There is no legal justification — and no precedent — for the president to use the machinery of the government and funds set aside by Congress for other uses to influence electoral outcomes that further his own agenda."
- In a court filing late Saturday, the Justice Department argued that the temporary restraining order was unnecessary because "the alleged offending conduct will end tomorrow."
- A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to stop airing a $20 million taxpayer-funded advertising campaign promoting President Donald Trump on Sunday, even cutting off commercials scheduled to run through the night.
What's still developing
- Peter Schiff warned that Trump’s proposed $5,000 payments would become the third-largest federal expenditure as debt interest surges.
- According to the complaint, the Office of Management and Budget authorized $20 million from a Customs and Border Protection account labeled "Commemorative Events," which congressional materials describe as covering agency anniversaries, employee recognition ceremonies and memorial services.
- “The bottom line is: One of the reasons we want to do everything we can to take back the Senate is not let Trump put such horrible justices — MAGA justices — on the Supreme Court and the lower courts,” Schumer said in response to a question from NBC News about a potential high court vacancy if Democrats win in 2026.
- Huckabee Sanders, who served as President Trump's White House press secretary from 2017 to 2019, faced backlash from conservatives who slammed the campaign's execution, arguing the decision to depict a young White man as the face of welfare abuse did not reflect reality. "Great policy," Co-founder and CEO of The Federalist Sean Davis argued. "Terrible ad that is so dishonest and insulting that it will entirely overshadow the genuinely great policy."
- The Trump administration is moving forward with a $2.8 billion sale of 2,000-pound bombs to Israel on Tuesday, marking one of the largest U.S. weapons transactions with Jerusalem that was previously halted by the Biden administration.
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