Judge orders Trump to pull $20M taxpayer-funded ads after legal challenge

A Manhattan judge has ordered the Trump administration to cancel taxpayer-funded TV ads that promote his political message

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A federal judge issued an order Sunday night requiring President Donald Trump to halt all remaining television advertisements funded with millions of dollars in taxpayer money, despite administration statements that the broadcast campaign was already ending.

Under the temporary restraining order, the administration was directed to cancel any remaining commercials, including those scheduled to air Sunday evening.

"Defendants shall not enter into, renew, or expand any agreement authorizing the development, creation, dissemination, placement, or airing of the challenged advertisements" during the two-week duration of her order, the judge said.

Asked for comment, the White House referred to an Oct. 5 social media post from Trump in which he defended the taxpayer-funded ads as "rather standard" while stating, amid public backlash, that he would cover them using political fundraising.

In a court submission late Saturday, the Justice Department argued that a temporary restraining order was unnecessary because "the alleged offending conduct will end tomorrow."

The Department of Homeland Security allocated $20 million in public funds for the commercials. Legal experts have said the expenditure violated a federal statute prohibiting congressionally appropriated funds from being used for "publicity or propaganda," along with potential breaches of other laws.

In a court declaration submitted Saturday, senior DHS official Holly Mehringer wrote that the funds originated from congressional allocations that are "available for, among other things, ‘commemorating efforts and events related to border security.’"

Responding to the ruling, Democracy Forward, the legal non-profit representing the plaintiffs, welcomed the swift judicial action.

"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."

Instead, the commercial series, which began airing in late September, focuses heavily on Trump and reflects his political messaging ahead of the midterms.