Judge Halts Trump's Tax-Funded TV Commercials

A federal judge on Sunday ordered the Trump administration to stop airing taxpayer-funded television advertisements that prominently feature and promote the president, ruling that the ads are likely illegal.

U.S. District Judge Jennifer Rochon in New York issued a four-page order late Sunday barring the administration from using government funds to distribute the ads. The judge, appointed by former President Joe Biden, directed officials to cancel “any slot, placement, reservation, or arrangement for the airing or dissemination of the challenged advertisements.”

The order took effect immediately for any ads scheduled later Sunday night. It was not immediately clear whether the ruling blocked additional spots from airing.

The advertisements, which predominantly feature President Trump and highlight administration policies, began running on national television in September. They were funded by the Department of Homeland Security. The Wall Street Journal has reported that Trump personally pushed for the ads and was involved in their creation.

The ruling responded to a lawsuit filed by the advocacy group Common Cause and a Democratic candidate for office in Alabama. 

The plaintiffs argued that the spending was not authorized by Congress and violated restrictions on using public funds for political propaganda.

“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,” the plaintiffs said after the decision.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In a weekend court filing, the Justice Department said the ad buy was scheduled to end on Sunday.

Last week, Trump said he plans to continue the advertisements using money from his MAGA Inc. super PAC rather than federal funds.