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# Judge blocks Trump's $20 million taxpayer-funded ad blitz a week before the midterms
- URL: https://www.workersrights.news/judge-blocks-trump-20-million-taxpayer-funded-ads-midterms/
- Published: 2026-10-28T18:18:52.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-28T18:18:52.000Z
- Description: Judge Loren AliKhan found the administration likely used border money to fund a national media campaign.
- Author: WorkersRights.News Team
- Tags: Legal News, Politics

A federal judge in Washington on Wednesday blocked the Trump administration from spending more taxpayer money on TV ads promoting the president. She found officials "likely used public dollars to unlawfully finance a national media campaign" in the final weeks before the Nov. 3 midterm elections.

U.S. District Judge Loren L. AliKhan granted a temporary restraining order in *Democratic National Committee v. Trump* (No. 26-cv-3506, D.D.C.). Her order pauses the White House budget office's approval of $20 million for the ads, bars the Office of Management and Budget and the Department of Homeland Security from "developing and airing the challenged ads," and orders them to stop distributing the ads, "including through authorized third parties."

### Border money, spent on airtime

According to the opinion, OMB approved an extra $20 million on the evening of Sept. 19, about an hour and a half after DHS asked for it. DHS issued a $20 million purchase order to an ad agency the next day, drawing on border enforcement money from last year's "One Big Beautiful Bill." By Oct. 11, about $19 million in airtime had been bought. The ads, with titles including "Final Battle" and "Mount Rushmore," began airing Sept. 23.

On Oct. 5, Trump said his super PAC, MAGA Inc., would pay for the ads instead. The judge found that promise went unfulfilled: the ads kept running with a "Paid for by the U.S. Government" tag on Oct. 6, 7, 11 and 12\. "This sequence of events gives the court reason to doubt Defendants' assurances that the same injury will not recur," AliKhan wrote.

The court found the spending likely breaks a federal ban on using appropriated money for "publicity or propaganda purposes." DNC Chair Ken Martin called the ruling "a victory for the rule of law and for American taxpayers." We could not find a White House response as of Wednesday afternoon.

### What comes next

The administration must file a compliance report by Oct. 30\. The order lasts 14 days, and both sides must propose a schedule for a longer-term injunction by Nov. 2\. Four other ads the DNC challenged, which have not aired, are not covered yet. In a separate case brought by Common Cause, a federal judge in New York has also blocked the DHS ads.

We condemn spending border enforcement money on ads praising the president weeks before an election. That money belongs to taxpayers, not a campaign.

### Sources

- [U.S. District Court for D.C.: Memorandum Opinion and Order, DNC v. Trump, No. 26-cv-3506 (Oct. 28, 2026), via the DNC](https://democrats.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/026-TRO-Opinion.pdf?ref=workersrights.news)
- [Civil Rights Litigation Clearinghouse: Democratic National Committee v. Trump, 1:26-cv-03506 (D.D.C.)](https://clearinghouse.net/case/48523/?ref=workersrights.news)
- [The Independent (via Yahoo News): Trump barred from airing White House 'propaganda' ads, judge rules](https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/trump-barred-airing-white-house-164843102.html?ref=workersrights.news)
- [Raw Story: Trump dealt fresh legal blow as judge blasts 'unfulfilled' promise](https://www.rawstory.com/trump-ads-2678158953/?ref=workersrights.news)
- [Democratic National Committee: Court Blocks Trump from Illegally Using Taxpayer Dollars on Propaganda Ads](https://democrats.org/breaking-court-blocks-trump-from-illegally-using-taxpayer-dollars-on-propaganda-ads/?ref=workersrights.news)
- [Democracy Docket: Trump's taxpayer-funded propaganda ads halted by federal judge](https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/trumps-taxpayer-funded-propaganda-ads-halted-by-federal-judge/?ref=workersrights.news)