Judge orders ads off air immediately

U.S. District Judge Jennifer Rochon of the Southern District of New York ordered the Trump administration on Sunday to stop airing government-funded ads portraying President Donald Trump favorably, effective immediately.

Who brought the lawsuit

The watchdog group Common Cause, Democratic candidate Robert Hunter running for Alabama state House, and a New York labor union with its political action committee filed the suit to get the ads off air.

Judge's legal reasoning

Judge Rochon wrote that plaintiffs demonstrated they are likely to succeed on the merits, will suffer irreparable harm without an injunction, the balance of equities tips in their favor, and an injunction serves the public…

“Plaintiffs have demonstrated that they are likely to succeed on the merits, will suffer irreparable harm in the absence of an injunction, the balance of the equities tips in their favor, and an injunction serves the public interest.”

Administration's failed argument

The Trump administration had told the court Saturday that the Department of Homeland Security placed ad buys through Sunday and instructed the vendor not to purchase ads beyond that day.Judge Rochon rejected this as moot.

Scope of the injunction

Judge Rochon ordered the Trump administration to cancel any ads from airing or being disseminated, including those set to air Sunday night, and barred using DHS funds to develop, create, disseminate, place, distribute, publish or…

No immediate response from administration

The White House, Department of Homeland Security and Office of Management and Budget, all named as defendants, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. MAGA Inc. also did not immediately respond.

Plaintiffs celebrate ruling

Common Cause President and CEO Virginia Kase Solomón said the fight continues and the group will not stop until the administration is held fully accountable and no president can waste taxpayer funds for propaganda.

“We won't stop until this administration is held fully accountable, and no president from any party can waste and abuse taxpayer funds for propaganda ever again.”

Ads resembled campaign material

The ads came under scrutiny because one was nearly identical to a two thousand twenty-four Trump campaign ad. Critics argued that using taxpayer money for such spots could be illegal and called them propaganda.