U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during Columbus Day celebrations in the East Room of the White House on October 9, 2026 in Washington, DC.
Alex Roblewski AFP | Getty Images
A federal judge on Sunday night ordered the Trump administration to immediately stop airing a controversial government-funded ad that was criticized as propaganda aimed at influencing the upcoming midterm elections.
The ad was funded by a $20 million contract from the Department of Homeland Security.
The coalition of plaintiffs who filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Manhattan seeking an injunction to keep the ads from airing includes the advocacy group Common Cause and the New York City-based Service Employees International Union Local 32BJ.
“The court finds that (1) this complaint is not invalid, (2) there is standing to proceed, and (3) the moving plaintiffs have demonstrated that they are likely to succeed on the merits, would likely suffer irreparable harm absent the injunction, that the balance of equity is in their favor, and that the injunction is in the public interest,” Judge Jennifer Rochon wrote in her order.
“We are pleased that the court acted quickly to prevent more tax dollars from being spent on such blatantly illegal political propaganda,” the coalition said in a statement.
“There is no legal justification or precedent for a president to repurpose funds set aside by the machinery of government or Congress to influence the outcome of an election,” the coalition said, referring to President Donald Trump. “As this case evolves and voters make their voices heard in this election, we remain committed to ensuring that the rule of law continues to be upheld and voter rights and democracy protected.”
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