Federal Judge Orders Halt to Trump Administration's Government-Funded Ads

A federal judge in New York ordered the Trump administration on October 12, 2026, to immediately stop airing government-funded television ads featuring President Donald Trump. The temporary restraining order (TRO) issued by Judge Jennifer Rochon in Manhattan federal court also prohibits the Department of Homeland Security from spending any more of the $20 million allocated for the ad campaign, of which approximately $19 million has already been spent. The order follows a statement from the Manhattan U.S. Attorney's Office, which is defending the Trump administration in a lawsuit regarding the ads, indicating that the ads would not continue past Sunday. Rochon's order, which is effective for 14 days unless extended, requires the cancellation of all scheduled ads, including those set to air on Sunday evening. The ads have included the caption "Paid for by the U.S. Government" since their inception. The Manhattan U.S. Attorney's Office declined to comment, and the White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The funding for the ads originated from a congressional appropriation for immigration enforcement. A coalition of plaintiffs that filed the lawsuit against the ads urged Rochon to issue the TRO despite the U.S. Attorney's claim that the ads would cease airing. The plaintiffs argued that the use of taxpayer money for political ads is unlawful. Rochon agreed with the plaintiffs, stating that the TRO request was valid and that the coalition demonstrated a likelihood of success in the lawsuit, potential irreparable harm, and that the injunction serves the public interest. In addition to halting the ads, the judge ordered the Trump administration not to enter into new agreements or expand existing ones for the ads and stayed a purchase order for the ads between U.S. Customs and Border Protection and contractor Lepugh Inc., doing business as LMD Agency Inc. Rochon indicated that a full opinion explaining her ruling would be issued soon. The coalition, which filed its lawsuit on October 7, includes the advocacy group Common Cause and the Service Employees International Union Local 32BJ. A separate lawsuit challenging the ads was also filed on the same day by the Democratic National Committee. The ads, which have been airing for weeks, faced criticism from Democrats who claimed they were designed to assist Republicans in the upcoming election, which will determine control of Congress. The coalition's lawsuit described one ad, "The Country He Loves," as featuring rapid cuts of photos and videos of President Trump alongside text highlighting his perceived accomplishments, including claims of the "Largest Tax Cuts in History" and "Defend Law and Order and Police." The ad also included the phrase "AMERICA WILL NEVER BE A COMMUNIST COUNTRY." Senator Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., expressed concerns about the ad's purpose in a letter to White House chief of staff Susie Wiles on September 24, stating that it appeared to violate federal prohibitions against using appropriated funds for political propaganda. In response to the criticism, Trump stated on October 5 that he or his super PAC, MAGA Inc., would cover the costs of future ads, while the White House later clarified that Trump would not reimburse the federal government for the expenses of the ads already aired. Following Rochon's order, the coalition expressed satisfaction that the court acted to prevent further use of taxpayer dollars for what they deemed unlawful political propaganda, asserting that there is no legal justification for the president to use government resources to influence electoral outcomes.