Judge Blocks Taxpayer-Funded Pro-Trump Ads, Orders Sunday Night Spots Cancelled

judge orders pro-Trump ads off air — A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to immediately stop airing government-funded advertisements that portrayed President Donald Trump favorably, issuing the ruling Sunday at 8:48 p.m. EDT. Judge Jennifer Rochon of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York found that the plaintiffs were likely to succeed on the merits, that they would suffer irreparable harm without an injunction, that the equities favored them, and that the injunction served the public interest.

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What the Order Requires

The order directed that the ads be cancelled, including spots set to air Sunday night. It also barred the Department of Homeland Security from using appropriated funds for developing, creating, disseminating, placing, distributing, publishing, or airing the advertisements. Rochon rejected the administration’s argument that the case had become moot.

The Lawsuit and Its Plaintiffs

Common Cause, Democratic candidate for Alabama state House Robert Hunter, and a New York labor union and its PAC brought the suit. They argued the ads amounted to unlawful political propaganda. The plaintiffs said there was no legal justification or precedent for a president to use government funds to influence elections, and they praised the court for acting swiftly to stop what they described as taxpayer-funded propaganda.

Administration's Position

In a court filing Saturday, the administration said a DHS vendor had placed ad buys through Sunday and had been told not to purchase ads beyond that day. The defendants named in the case are the White House, DHS, and the Office of Management and Budget. None responded immediately to requests for comment.

Reaction from Common Cause

Virginia Kase Solomón, president and CEO of Common Cause, said the fight continues and that the administration must be held accountable. She added that no president should waste taxpayer funds for propaganda.

Context and Similar Complaints

The lawsuit was one of several similar complaints, including one filed by the Democratic National Committee. Critics had scrutinized the ads as illegal and as propaganda. One of the ads was nearly identical to a 2024 Trump campaign ad. Last week, Trump said the outside group MAGA Inc. would help fund the ads moving forward. MAGA Inc. did not immediately respond to a request for comment.