Trump administration ordered to scrap taxpayer-funded TV ad campaign
The lawsuit was filed by a coalition including Common Cause, a Democratic candidate from Alabama, and the SEIU 32BJ labor union
The Trump administration has been hit with a new federal order, commanding the administration to stop taxpayer-funded television advertising campaign’s Trump-focused promotions and cancel remaining ads.
The order was followed by bipartisan criticism over the promotional campaign ahead of the high-stakes upcoming midterm elections.
The lawsuit was filed by a coalition including Common Cause, a Democratic candidate from Alabama, and the SEIU 32BJ labour union.
The US District Judge Jennifer L. Rochon in New York ordered its cancellation and granted a temporary restraining order, supporting the coalition's criticism which called the ads an illegal misuse of funds.
"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. The order was in effect as of 6:45 p.m. ET on Sunday.
The non-partisan advocacy group celebrated the ruling on X, declaring that “President Trump’s propaganda ads have to stop.”
It remains unclear if any scheduled broadcasts were cancelled as a direct result.
The White House responded to this order by referring to President Trump’s post on Truth Social as he stated that he would not stop using federal taxpayer money for the ads and instead fund them through MAGA Inc super PAC.
Trump defended the broadcasts as "a positive promotion for our Great U.S.A." and called the practice a "standard thing to do," while accusing the "Radical Left" of fabricating controversy.
Trump did not clarify whether his campaign or super PAC would reimburse the public funds already spent on the initial ad buys.
At the heart of this backlash across the party lines lies the disputed usage of public funds, Moreover, the Department of Homeland Security allocated $20 million to the ad campaign. Approximately $12 million had been spent on the advertising campaign ahead of the court's restraining order.
