A federal judge ordered President Donald Trump to cancel taxpayer-funded TV ads promoting his political message, but the administration continued airing them after a deadline, according to multiple reports.
Judge Blocks Trump Ads, Administration Defies Order
A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order on October 12, 2026, requiring the Trump administration to cancel any remaining taxpayer-funded TV commercials promoting the president’s political message. The ruling came after a lawsuit by the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and other groups, who argued the ads violated legal restrictions on using public funds for partisan propaganda. The Washington Post reported that the administration ignored the order, airing two ads into the early hours of October 13.
The lawsuit challenging the commercials was brought by a coalition that included the advocacy group Common Cause. The Washington Post reported that the coalition argued the ads violated federal law, including a ban on congressionally appropriated money being used for publicity or propaganda.
In a court declaration, Mehringer wrote that the funds came from appropriations available for, among other things, ‘commemorating efforts and events related to border security.’
However, the ads were described as blatantly unlawful political propaganda
by the plaintiffs.
The ads ran during airings of various shows, including Meet the Press,
Jimmy Kimmel Live!,
and news and entertainment shows, according to The Washington Post. The White House stated that DHS did not receive notice from the court in time to cancel the ad buys, but the Justice Department later admitted to the airings and apologized to the court. NPR reported that the Justice Department’s follow-up filing acknowledged the error and requested a status conference to assess compliance.
Trump Ads Paid With $20M From Homeland Security Budget
The ads were paid for with $20 million from the Department of Homeland Security’s budget, allocated under a commemorative events
category. NPR reported that nearly $22 million had been spent on the ads since late September, with nearly $10 million spent after October 5, when Trump pledged to fund it privately. The ads included a recycled 2024 campaign spot, a segment featuring Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth advocating for the Iran war, and a video of Trump showing him accepting the Fifa peace prize.
Trump defended the ads as a rather standard thing to do,
claiming they were positive promotion for our Great U.S.A.
CBS News noted that the president later said he would pay for future ads using funds from his super PAC, MAGA Inc. However, the White House later clarified that the super PAC would not reimburse taxpayers for the money it had already spent on the ads, according to The Guardian.
The ads included a splashy montage of photos of the president with a chorus singing love me
as the soundtrack, and another ad that was an exact duplicate of a 2024 campaign spot. NPR reported that two ads promoted military operations in Venezuela and Iran, with one featuring a recording of Trump saying We will defeat communism, socialism and Marxism in America.
Another ad included a clip of Senator Rubio warning Don’t play games with [President Trump] in office.
Bipartisan Criticism Over Taxpayer-Funded Ads
The ads sparked bipartisan criticism, with 86% of Americans calling it inappropriate to use taxpayer funds for election-related ads, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll. Even 80% of Republicans found the ads inappropriate. The Justice Department admitted it had not received the court’s restraining order until Monday morning, leading to a delay in halting the ads, The Washington Post reported.
Common Cause, a watchdog group, called the ads yet another abuse of taxpayer and government resources,
Newsweek noted. The lawsuit argued the ads violated federal law by using public funds for publicity or propaganda.
Judge Orders Trump to Report on Compliance
The judge ordered the Trump administration to report on compliance with her order within 24 hours. Democracy Docket noted that the judge expressed alarm at how quickly the administration had reallocated funds, approving $20 million for the ads just hours after the request.
The White House has not yet provided a full accounting of the ads’ content or the exact amount spent. AP News reported that a federal judge ordered the Trump administration to cancel any remaining TV commercials paid for with millions of dollars in taxpayer money to promote his political message.
The DNC alleged the administration was unlawfully using appropriated funds for publicity or propaganda purposes
and argued the ads would give Republicans an electoral advantage ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
The ad campaign sparked bipartisan criticism, with Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., stating It shouldn’t be paid for with taxpayer dollars.
The Guardian reported that the Democratic National Committee had separately sued the Republican administration over the ads. The Justice Department admitted the error and apologized to the court and plaintiffs in a filing late Monday, The Washington Post noted.
ethan.brook News Editor