Judge blocks taxpayer-funded pro-Trump ad campaign, orders immediate cancellation

A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to immediately halt taxpayer-funded pro-Trump ads that have aired on national television for two weeks, POLITICO reports.

U.S. District Judge Jennifer Rochon issued the restraining order Sunday evening, directing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to cancel the remainder of the $20 million ad buy and barring other agencies from resuming it.

“Defendants are enjoined from using, disbursing, or transferring funds appropriated to the Department of Homeland Security to develop, create, disseminate, place, distribute, publish, or air the challenged advertisements,” she wrote.

The order came despite DHS telling the court late Saturday it had “no plans” to continue the ads. The Democratic National Committee and Common Cause had filed separate lawsuits.

About $19 million has been spent on the campaign, which was due to run through Sunday on networks including Fox, CNN, CBS and ESPN.

Common Cause said the pledge to stop “soon” was an “attempt to run out the clock.”