DOJ Apologizes After Trump Ads Air Despite Court Order

A federal judge issued an order on Sunday evening that barred the Department of Homeland Security from using taxpayer funds to produce, distribute, or air campaign‑style television ads supporting President Donald Trump. The injunction, which remains in effect while the legal dispute continues, required the administration to halt all such advertising within two weeks. However, data from AdImpact shows that nearly 400 spots aired that night and in the following day, with Trump’s “Final Battle” ad appearing in 193 slots during CBS’s 60 Minutes and the “Maduro” ad in 198 slots during ABC’s America’s Funniest Home Videos.

The ads, which include slogans such as “demolish the deep state” and “drive out the globalists,” have cost the government millions of dollars. By October 8, the campaign had run more than 16,000 spots, spending $15.4 million. The most expensive was “Final Battle,” airing almost 10,000 times at a cost exceeding $9 million. Other campaigns, including “The Country He Loves” and “Celebrating the Enduring Spirit,” added further expenses, bringing the total to more than $15 million.

In response, the Justice Department sent a notice to the court apologizing for the delay. Officials admitted they did not receive the judge’s order until 7:58 p.m., over an hour after the decision, and that agency counsel had only learned of the email the following morning. The department also informed advertising vendors that they must cancel any remaining slots and cease any new agreements for the contested ads.

Plaintiffs, led by the watchdog group Common Cause, welcomed the court’s swift action and called the ads “blatantly unlawful political propaganda.” Senator Maggie Hassan criticized the use of taxpayer money for campaign messaging and urged the president to repay the funds. Trump has said he will cover the costs himself, though the White House clarified that he was not referring to reimbursement. Former ethics lawyer Norm Eisen described the ads as a “corrupt attempt to advance a partisan agenda ahead of the midterm election.”