RismadarVoice Reporters
October 12, 2026
A United States federal judge has ordered President Donald Trump’s administration to stop broadcasting government-funded advertisements accused of promoting the president’s political interests.
US District Judge Jennifer Rochon of the Southern District of New York issued the order on Sunday, directing the administration to cancel the remaining broadcasts and distribution of the disputed advertisements.
The ruling followed a lawsuit brought by government watchdog organisation Common Cause, Democratic Alabama state House candidate Robert Hunter, a New York labour union and its political action committee.
The plaintiffs alleged that the administration had improperly used public funds to finance advertisements portraying Trump favourably, raising concerns about the use of government resources for political purposes.
In granting the injunction, Rochon found that the plaintiffs had demonstrated a likelihood of success on the merits of their claims and faced potential irreparable harm without judicial intervention.
The judge also determined that the balance of interests and public interest supported the immediate suspension of the advertisements.
The order prohibited the administration from using funds appropriated to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to develop, produce, distribute or broadcast the disputed advertising materials.
Before the ruling, the administration had informed the court that advertising slots had been purchased through Sunday and that its vendor had been instructed not to make additional purchases beyond that date.
However, the judge determined that the scheduled conclusion of the campaign did not eliminate the need for an injunction.
The administration was consequently directed to ensure that any outstanding broadcasts and distributions were cancelled.
The White House, DHS and the Office of Management and Budget, which were named as defendants, had not immediately issued public responses to the ruling, according to the account of the proceedings.
MAGA Inc., a political organisation that Trump had indicated could help finance future advertisements, had also not immediately commented.
The legal dispute arose after critics questioned the similarity between one of the government-funded advertisements and a commercial used during Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign.
The plaintiffs maintained that federal appropriations should not be used to promote the political interests of an incumbent president or influence electoral outcomes.
Common Cause President and Chief Executive Officer Virginia Kase Solomón welcomed the ruling and said the organisation would continue pursuing accountability over the alleged misuse of public resources.
The court’s decision represents an interim restriction on the disputed advertisements rather than a final determination of every claim raised in the lawsuit.
Further proceedings will determine the remaining legal questions concerning the use of federal funds for the advertising campaign.
