A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to immediately block taxpayer-funded political ads featuring President Donald Trump ahead of November's midterm elections.

U.S. District Judge Jennifer Rochon issued a 14-day temporary restraining order Sunday night in Manhattan federal court, targeting an advertising campaign financed through congressional immigration-enforcement appropriations.

The ads were labeled "Paid for by the U.S. Government," while critics argued they could benefit Republicans before the midterms.

The lawsuit was filed on October 7 by Common Cause and Service Employees International Union Local 32BJ. The Democratic National Committee filed a separate challenge the same day.

The order bars the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from spending additional campaign funds on ads. DHS told a federal court late Saturday that it would end taxpayer-funded pro-Trump ads after Sunday and had no plans for further media buys ahead of the midterm elections.

White House did not immediately respond to MarketDash's request for comments.

Mullin Dodges Refund Question

On Sunday, DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin, speaking on CBS' Face the Nation, defended the advertising campaign as a public service announcement promoting America, arguing that media coverage of Trump and the country is overwhelmingly negative. He cited falling murder rates and fentanyl deaths, border security and increased drug apprehensions as reasons to highlight the administration's achievements.

However, he did not explicitly state whether the taxpayers would be reimbursed; he avoided answering directly when pressed. Host Margaret Brennan concluded the exchange by saying, "Okay, so no reimbursement."

In September, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) awarded Maryland-based LMD Agency a fully funded, one-year $20 million contract for a "National Media Campaign", a day after the OMB approved the same amount for CBP under a "Commemorative Events" funding line.

Approximately $19 million of the planned $20 million budget had already been used, according to CNBC.

Last week, Trump declined to say whether he would reimburse the government for previously aired taxpayer-funded ads praising his administration, saying, "We'll decide," as per the publication. The White House said MAGA Inc. would fund future public service announcements but would not cover the cost of ads that had already aired.

Bipartisan Criticism Over Taxpayer-Funded Ads

The legal dispute follows weeks of bipartisan criticism over the use of taxpayer funds for an advertising campaign opponents viewed as political promotion. Critics also raised concerns about potential Hatch Act violations and whether the messaging amounted to taxpayer-funded support for Trump ahead of the 2026 elections.

Over the past few weeks, ads featured Trump vowing to defeat communism, socialism and Marxism, while highlighting his administration's tax cuts, manufacturing push and support for law enforcement. They also depicted the President as leading a "final battle" against communists, Marxists, fascists and the "fake news media."

Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by MarketDash editors.