Washington, October 12, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
A federal judge in New York has ordered US President Donald Trump’s administration to immediately stop airing television advertisements funded by taxpayer money that feature the president and highlight his administration’s policies, granting temporary relief to groups challenging the campaign ahead of the November 3 midterm elections.
US District Judge Jennifer L. Rochon issued a temporary restraining order on Sunday, barring the administration from developing, placing or broadcasting the disputed advertisements for 14 days. The order also directs federal officials to cancel remaining advertising placements, including commercials scheduled to air that evening.
The ruling followed a lawsuit filed by government watchdog organisation Common Cause, a labour union, its political action committee and an Alabama state legislative candidate. The plaintiffs argued that the administration had improperly used public funds for advertisements promoting Trump and potentially influencing the political environment ahead of the congressional elections.
The Department of Homeland Security had allocated $20 million for the campaign, which began appearing on television in September. The funding came from money appropriated by Congress for immigration enforcement activities.
The plaintiffs contended that the advertisements violated federal restrictions on using appropriated funds for publicity or propaganda. In granting temporary relief, Rochon directed the administration to cancel existing advertising arrangements and refrain from entering into new agreements involving the commercials.
The order does not constitute a final determination on whether the campaign violated federal law. The underlying case will continue.
The Justice Department had opposed emergency intervention, arguing that the campaign was already scheduled to end on Sunday and that DHS had no plans to purchase additional advertising time. Government lawyers also challenged the plaintiffs’ legal standing and questioned whether immediate court action was warranted.
The White House has defended the advertisements as public service announcements intended to inform Americans about government policies and achievements. Administration officials have argued that previous presidents from both major parties used public funds to communicate policy priorities.
Trump had earlier said future advertisements would be financed through his political action committee, but did not commit to reimbursing the government for money already spent.
The coalition welcomed the ruling, saying in a statement released by Democracy Forward, one of the groups representing the plaintiffs, that it was pleased the court had acted to prevent further taxpayer spending on what it described as unlawful political propaganda.
The New York case is one of several legal challenges to the campaign. The Democratic National Committee filed a separate lawsuit in Washington on October 7, alleging that the advertisements breached federal spending restrictions and disadvantaged Democratic candidates. It subsequently sought emergency relief to halt further broadcasts.
The dispute comes ahead of the November 3 midterm elections, when control of Congress will be contested. Although Trump is not on the ballot, the results will determine the balance of legislative power for the remainder of his presidency.
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